So much hangs on a new principal conductor's debut concert. It has to set the tone of a whole new era. By that measure, Thomas Søndergård, the new Principal Conductor of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, chose very shrewdly for his debut concert. He bounced onto the podium, a blonde, curly-haired figure who looked at least 10 years younger than his 43 years, spoke a few words of welcome, and launched straight into Expo by Finnish composer Magnus Lindberg. This is a typically gorgeous show-piece, which glances at Ravel and John Adams in its giddy onward rush. It made the orchestra sound like a million dollars, and showed just how neatly Søndergård can negotiate tricky tempo changes.
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