Ax, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Jurowski, Royal Festival Hall

Jurowski's elaborate musical caprice with four captivating courses

by Edward SeckersonSaturday, 19 March 2011

Vladimir Jurowski: A demonic twinkle in the eye© Chris Christodolou

Send in the clowns. Or at least that was Vladimir Jurowski’s musical thinking in bringing together the mighty foursome of Prokofiev, Stravinsky, Haydn and Shostakovich and seeing just how far their capricious natures might take us. The allusions and parodies came thick and fast and just when you thought there was no more irony to tap, in came the most outrageous instance of misdirection in the history of 20th-century music: Shostakovich’s Sixth Symphony. And that is no joke.

We almost didn’t want the interval as Stravinsky gave way to Papa Haydn and good-humour was now all about harmonic sleight of hand

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