There is a lot of Prokofiev around at the moment. To mark the 50th anniversary of the composer's death a huge collaborative celebration of his music is taking place all over Britain. The Manchester Prokofiev 2003 festival is a series of concerts and lectures co-ordinated by the BBC Philharmonic and the Royal Northern College of Music.
Unlike that of his contemporary Shostakovich, Prokofiev's status has never been questioned, partly thanks to his more cosmopolitan image. Moreover, his music has not been dogged by earnest interpretations at every turn as Shostakovich's has, meaning that though Prokofiev's music was written under a savage dictatorship, we are used to hearing it with innocent ears.
Although that may sound reprehensible, the fact is that, even in his most troubled works, such as the wartime Fifth Symphony, Prokofiev seems incapable of writing a single ugly or clumsy bar. Ostensibly conceived in the Soviet grandiose style, the symphony constantly dodges cliches - the most shattering climax comes in the slow movement rather than in the epic first or the malignant scherzo. Most brilliantly of all, the finale coda has its obligatory peroration whisked away from under its feet, to end with coldly mechanical whirring and clicking. The whole symphony was masterfully handled by Noseda and the BBC Philharmonic. Noseda knows how to balance a beautiful sound with dramatic impact, and every climax was perfectly judged.
Prokofiev's First Violin Concerto is still one of his most popular works. Its icy brilliance and meltingly beautiful lyricism foreshadow the brittle scherzi and the sublime melodies that suffuse his later music. The young Canadian violinist James Ehnes played with spellbinding intensity, shimmering magically to life with his opening solo, then digging into the scherzo's rough middle section with a relish that was both earthy and jaw-droppingly virtuosic. With Noseda and the BBC Philharmonic on peak form, it was a radiant performance.
· Manchester Prokofiev 2003 continues until February 10. Box office: 0161-907 5555.
