Acclaim:
And here in Lucerne, starting with the low, primitive sound of the rolling double basses, through to the effervescent flutes, the Gewandhausorchester took the 1919 version of the work like a second skin. Nelsons was on top form, poking the strings into their clockwork rhythms and the horns into a brassy bombast, so much so that in the huge conclusion, he used what almost looked like the muscular punch of a professional boxer. That said, this Firebird could hardly have been tackled with more conviction; in short, this performance was electrifying.
“And here in Lucerne, starting with the low, primitive sound of the rolling double basses, through to the effervescent flutes, the Gewandhausorchester...