BBC Proms: Shostakovich’s Tenth

As the BBC Proms 2026 rumble on, the BBC Symphony Orchestra took to the stage of the Royal Albert Hall once more for a hearty evening of music-making. Under the ever-steady baton of Cristian Măcelaru – seemingly one of the industry’s safest pairs of hands – a programme of distinctly mismatched halves was underway. With Shostakovich’s mighty tenth symphony looming from the other side of the interval, it was first the turn of a new work, Skyline (Concerto for Three Percussionists, Timpani and Orchestra), by French composer Édith Canat de Chizy. This work conjures moments of atmospheric poise, but suffers from a hazy directionlessness and is disenchantingly effect-based (the brandishing of a toddler-sized tuba mute is a sure sign that something overtly zany is afoot). In any case, there was a lack of the character, feeling and narrative upon which this ensemble is so adept at thriving.

The soloists – Lucy Landymore, Emma Arden, Delia Stevens and Richard Cartlidge on timpani – performed with vigour and navigated logistical inter-instrument challenges with entertaining prowess. They worked largely independently from stations positioned distantly about the stage, but came together with particular sensitivity when assigned – always briefly – to tuned percussion instruments.

The interval behind them, it was time for the orchestra to present the programme’s title symphony. This major staple of the repertoire is at once haunting and frenetic, laden as ever with the context of having to tiptoe around the sensitivities of a touchy Joseph Stalin. The tender opening was handled sublimely by the strings, achieving on multiple occasions that rare feat of intonation so perfect that unplayed overtones rang throughout the auditorium. Shostakovich loves to dwell but never settle, invariably incorporating a lurch elsewhere before too long, something leapt upon with consistent bravery by the ensemble. Chugging bassy melodies and piercing horns were steadfast highlights, and the highwire act that is the piccolo duet to close the opening movement was faultless.

The brash insanity of the Allegro second movement – surely the wider repertoire’s symphonic movement most deserving of a PG certificate – was as jolting as should always be the case, but could have been more bombastic still. One or two parties caught lagging on a couple of occasions were no doubt a hindrance to this objective.

The pensive third movement has the tendency to feel a bit of a dud following the rowdiness, and alas this tradition was keenly adhered to, but the business of the horn calls soon left that forgotten. The orchestra revelled in the cerebral delight of setting the spookily simple five-note call in different harmonic and textural contexts. The flurries and proclamations of the fourth movement brought the performance home with aplomb, and it was a wrap. An evening of highly courageous playing from Măcelaru and the BBC Symphony.

Will Snell
Photo: Chris Christodoulou

For further information and future events, visit BBC Proms: Shostakovich’s Tenth’s website here.