An enigma called Jurowski

By Gwen Herat from the Royal Festival Hall, London

The virtuoso conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Vladimir Jurowski, wielding his brilliance.

Great orchestras and conductors from around the world perform at Royal Festival Hall and music lovers have a choice of selecting whom they wish to listen to. With an array of concerts that encompass the intimacy and excitement of classical music, Vladimir Jurowski was on top my list. As conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, he has left nothing for imagination. From the word go, this virtuoso has stamped his authority in the classical music world. Exploring him was one great event in my life. The astonishing impact he has already made with just three years as the conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, speaks volume for his credibility. His obvious charisma and the maturity of his music-conducting have clearly endeared him to orchestras, critics and audiences.

A specialist musician of the LPO

At the South Bank Centre, London, Jurowski explores a composer in real depth and this year, it is Alfred Schnittke to whom he pays homage among others. Jurowski feels Schnittke is not only Russian but European too which makes him connect the two worlds of music. Schnittke's European tradition of playing composers like Bach, Haydn, Beethoven, Mahler, Schoenberg where the Russian traditions start with its medieval music and go through church tradition, has clearly impressed Jurowski when he embarked on Schnittke for the current year. He also devotes his conducting to this composer's lesser known works. However, Schnittke series include famous pieces like Doctor Faustus and cello concertos. Apart from Schnittke, Jurowski plays Mahler and Shostakovich.

The evening was heady and the atmosphere electrifying with hush silence as the members of the London Philharmonic Orchestra sailed into take their positions. Few seconds later the roof of the Royal Festival Hall came down to thunderous applause. Everyone stood up in mass response as Vladimir Jurowski appeared. Dashing, dapper, charismatic and classically handsome, he stole everyone's heart. An enigma in all sense: a future colossus and a conductor of grandeur.

Music imbued with a variety of scores, Jurowski is blessed with an intellectual rigour and uncompromising individuality. Jurowski possesses a genre he can command on a six string quartet from his ensemble. With time, his orchestral scores will surely be legendary. Apparently a furious spell of creativity has pushed him to where he is while another conductor would take more time.

The London Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank

I can place him as a modern Romantic conductor. Passionate, ecstatic and very influential to engage the minds of his audiences in a profound manner. His modern orchestral sounds are propagated and directed towards musical intellectuality. His energy on stage though compulsive at time, is full of histrionic mannerisms. I have seen scores of international baton-wavers who have crossed the footlights in Sri Lanka, New York, London, Vienna etc. but none as effectively as Jurowski. A natural symphonist in most endearing of compositional structures, one has to be literate in musicology to understand his orchestration.

The influence of Jurowski is pervasive. His sensuous and passionate emotions sit lightly upon his baton. He translates a tense relationship to his ensemble who responds with ardour that overwhelm his followers who embrace him. The inexhaustible variety of emotions, gripped me with such power that I had to pinch myself to merge into his endless supply of beautiful melodies, some of which I was listening for the first time. They touched my heart deeply.

As the Principal Conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra and based as a resident at South Bank Centre, he draws all music lovers to the Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall and the Purcell Room each season, setting aside his international tours. I was able to attend his summer season programme who by now had won over audiences and critics alike. He had earlier presented 'Revealing Tchaikvosky' which had been a unique festival, exploring this great composer's rarely performed master pieces. During this season, other highlights included orchestral and choral music by Dvorak and a celebration to Mandelsson's 200th anniversary (which I am going to miss because I will be back home). Under Jurowski's baton, the audience can look forward to some great performances by soloists such as violinist Christine Tetziaff, cellist Mischa Maisky and pianist Martin Helmchen. Tonight, Jurowski opts to play among others.

Alfred Schnittke, Jurowski's 'Between two Worlds' by Alfred Schnittke. The UK premiere of excerpts from the 'History of Doctor Johanne Faustus.'

Resurrection Symphony', Maheler's magnificent symphony.

Shostakovich's Operas: Two rarely performed operas by this great Russian composer, 'The Nose and the Gamblers' comes heavily under Jurowski's baton with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. As night birds settled atop trees, as clouds cleared to reveal a silver moon, as Jurowski lowered his baton, the non-ending applause ripped apart the night in echoes vibrating the concert hall, over and over again, upbeat and mesmerised, I slipped out to the magical night, falling artistically in love with Jurowski.