Sibelius’ 5th Symphony, CBSO, Symphony Hall, Birmingham | Thursday 15 October 2026. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review by David Gray & Paul Gray
Sibelius’ 5th Symphony
CBSO, Symphony Hall, Birmingham | Thursday 15 October 2026
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review by David Gray & Paul Gray
“Stirring Brahms and unexpected Sibelius.”
Brahms – Piano concerto No. 1
Sibelius - Symphony No. 5 (1915 Original Version)
Pianist Benjamin Grosvenor and Conductor Thomas Dausgaard conspired to deliver a Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1 that was perfectly balanced in every way.
This is a work that showcases the orchestra as much as the soloist. Grosvenor gave a generous performance, always attentive to the dialogue at the heart of the concerto. The CBSO provided warm and nurturing support to the soloist while also making the most of its own moments in the sun. Dausgaard made sure the handovers were always clean and seamless. This was a polished and integrated performance.
But it was also a reading that sought to balance the concerto’s many contrasting moods. Yes, Grosvenor has the power, presence and virtuosity to deliver on the concerto’s muscularity, drama and grandeur. But this was also an intensely lyrical performance, and at times quite intimate. Some exquisitely clear and delicate pianissimo playing from everyone on the platform made the most of Birmingham Symphony Hall’s ‘pin-drop’ acoustic.
This was particularly evident in a lovely, heart-stopping Adagio. There was a feeling of care and tenderness. Every moment seemed to have been caressed and cherished by the performers. Grosvenor seemed to literally withdraw from the keyboard when it was the orchestra’s turn to take centre stage. The great climactic chord progression towards the end of the movement was imbued with an impossibly passionate yearning.
Grosvenor gave full rein to his virtuosic impulses in a dazzling finale, playing with astonishing clarity and absolute authority. Dausgaard kept building the dramatic tension, while at the same time bringing out Brahms’ melodic inventiveness so that everything felt fresh and spontaneous. This really was a thrilling realisation of the piece.
The second item in the programme gave us a familiar object viewed from an unfamiliar angle. Dausgaard’s decision to play the original, 1915 version of Sibelius’ 5th Symphony rather than the shorter revised 1919 version demonstrated two things: the composer is not always right to cut material, and sometimes more really can be more.
The 1919 revised version may be more condensed and intense, but there seems to be a more satisfyingly logical flow of thought and development in the original version of 1915. There is a clearer feeling of thematic development, and, put simply, this version feels like the right length.
The CBSO gave a thoughtful and absorbing performance. Again, there were some gossamer light, whispered pianissimos. Rich string playing delivered depth and body. Horns and woodwind, often placed at the forefront of the work, were always well-balanced and tight in their ensemble. Dausgaard made sure we never felt thematically far away from that final stirring flight of the swans which, when it arrived, did so with sunlight glittering on its wings.
Thomas Dausgaard – Conductor
Benjamin Grosvenor - Piano