After the sacrificial cataclysm there’s a tiny upward rush of flutes, a single crash and it’s over. Stravinsky wrestled with the ending of The Rite of Spring (1913). Its abrupt last gulp catches you unawares, as if the entire orchestra, vast in size, has vanished into a sinkhole. As a finale to a weekend of concerts, it’s an arresting choice. A taut, convulsive and virtuosic performance by the Hallé orchestra, conducted by Delyana Lazarova, brought to a close the inaugural Manchester Classical weekend: 16 events in two days, in which Manchester’s many resident ensembles united to celebrate the city’s rich and interlinked musical life.
All took place in the Bridgewater Hall and its foyers. Seating was unreserved, each work introduced from the platform with pithy explanations. Events, lasting no more than an hour, were cheap or free. Food stalls parked outside added to the festive air. An estimated 10,000 people came through the doors. They could have been out in the sun or at home watching Glastonbury, but the event had its own cumulative buzz. There was even community singing-along with the BVG Indian Choir of England (microtonal nah-nah-ing) and the Hallé Ancoats Community Choir (tonal doo-be-doing). Who needs Jacob Collier?
