Pollença anthological

PalmaThe Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana, led by its principal conductor, Sir Mark Elder, was responsible for setting off the grand finale of the fireworks display that marked the latest edition of the Pollença Festival. Sixty-five editions stand testament to it, and its momentum only serves to enhance its legend. The full capacity of each and every one of the seven concerts that made up the program could serve as a sufficiently eloquent summary of what it has been, with this festive closing of a magnitude that merely anticipates the next edition.

The program performed by the orchestra that resides in the Palau de les Arts was, in itself, a treat for both gourmets and occasional spectators. Firstly, the "Variations. Enigma,"Variations. Enigma, the composition that brought fame and fortune to Edward Elgar at the age of forty-two, when it seemed his career was already settled. The leap was exponential, although crossing British borders was a bit more challenging than expected, and it almost always happened alongside a British conductor. Sir Mark Elder's performance was an exhibition of how to conduct a large orchestra – large in every sense – and make it sound with such exquisite clarity as that of the Comunitat Valenciana. Each "Variation" was a story told with the same elements but with an absolutely different outcome. It is worth highlighting "Nimrod, an adagio he dedicated to his friend August J. Jaeger, which is merely an evidence, because all fourteen variations achieved the infinite qualities and characteristics that define the diverse and intricate musical portraits that make up the work, composed of fragments yet possessing unquestionable solidity as a whole. Sir Mark Elder cradled the ensemble with the delicacy of a silken left hand, making each group of instruments sound better than the previous one, until reaching the powerful and sumptuous final self-portrait.

From Symphony No. 7 in A major op. 92 we have many more references, but with an orchestra of the characteristics that concerns us, it goes without saying that it did nothing but exalt the excellences of a composition that always inspires enthusiasm. Without a baton, only with his hands, Sir Mark Elder led the orchestra through the dizzying paths of a score with model bravery, full of uninterrupted energy. The infinite beauty of the second movement, the one they encored on the day of the premiere, made its presence felt in all its splendor. The reward, the applause that his teachers dedicated to the conductor, and what seemed like never-ending applause from the audience. Encore, a taste of L’Arlésienne, by Bizet. And more applause. The numerous audience did not want to sign the final point of an anthology festival.