Music

Hogmanay Gala, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall

Michael Tumelty

four stars

I’VE lost count of how many Hogmanay Galas I’ve covered in this slot, but, strictly to my own taste, Thursday’s was one of the finest, for a number of reasons, though perhaps presenter Gavin Mitchell was a bit under-characterised. At least he didn’t overcook it: there wasn’t a semblance of a Jimmy hat or gooey sentiment in sight.

Michael Bawtree conducted, the RSNO played (they haven’t half been working their socks off throughout the festive period) while soprano Jeni Bern and the magic tenor Nicky Spence sang Scottish classics from Ae Fond Kiss to The Rowan Tree. The classical pops in the programme were brilliantly-chosen, and, quite frankly, when Ravel’s Bolero is as effectively-delivered, and cumulatively-overwhelming, as it was here, there’s still nothing quite like it.

And, you know, we all take the RSNO for granted: they just come on and do the business, whatever the programme, whatever the style, whatever the occasion; that’s what professional troubadours do. They’re not looking for a spotlight. It’s a job. But if I don’t throw a spotlight on the amazing flute playing of principal Katherine Bryan in Arnold’s Scottish Dances, or cellist Betsy Taylor’s fabulous playing in the William Tell Overture, then the two of them would be justified in organising a lynching party.

I don’t know about the rest of the crowd, but I had a wonderful musical Hogmanay, with great popular classics, glorious traditional Scottish songs (and I’m from Jarrow) no schmaltz, no uncomfortable sentiment, and, capping it all, one of the deathless Scottish musical masterpieces in Phil Cunningham’s Cathcart, in a pristine, elemental performance by piper Jonathan Graham. Bravo to all.