The opening symphonic concert of the 2023 Festival Radio France in Montpellier promised to be a treat and so it turned out to be. The Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France under John Eliot Gardener were on top form with Beethoven’s ‘Concerto for Piano and Orchestra no. 4’, with the wonderful Alexandre Kantorow on piano, and in a superb second half with the Berlioz ‘Symphonie Fantastique’.

Beethoven’s ‘Concerto pour piano et orchestre n° 4 en sol Majeur’ op. 58 was written in 1805 – 06, with Beethoven himself taking the solo role in the first performance in Vienna in 1808. The first movement, allegro moderato, begins with solo piano before the orchestra enters and it was clear from the beginning that twenty-six year old French pianist Alexandre Kantorow was on form.

Described by Gramophone as a “fire-breathing virtuoso with a poetic charm”, Kantorow won the first prize, gold medal and Grand Prix at the 16th International Tchaikovsky Competition in 2019 when only 22. He now performs solo recitals at concert halls across Europe as well as performing with major orchestras. His performance of the Beethoven Concerto was sublime and the ovation that followed brought him back for an encore.

Alexandre Kantorow and John Eliot Gardener

In the second half we were treated to the famous ‘Symphonie fantastique’ by Hector Berlioz – and what a wonderful performance it was. John Eliot Gardener, now aged 80, was clearly enjoying himself as he almost danced around the podium with enthusiasm. This certainly rubbed off on the orchestra as they produced a stunning performance with the percussion, brass and woodwind sections particularly impressive. Gardener received so many curtain calls that he ended up involving the audience in replaying part of the work again. It was a simply wonderful concert.

Beethoven ‘Concerto pour piano et orchestre n° 4 en sol Majeur’ op. 58; Berlioz ‘Symphonie fantastique’, op. 14.