Bridgewater Hall, Manchester The Radiohead guitarist joined the orchestra for the premiere of his rather formless Violin Concerto – but other repertoire was gripping, and showed off a world-class string section Amid the sea of musicians clad in concert black, his baggy white trousers inevitably stood out. And for an orchestra that has been a fixture of the classical mainstream for well over 150 years, the choreography was awkward: lengthy resets between pieces, a second half that threatened to begin before the audience was seated, a celebrity guest who fled having barely acknowledged the applause. Yet despite all that, this collaboration between the Hallé and Jonny Greenwood – Radiohead guitarist and award-winning composer – was musically compelling. In Steve Reich ’s Pulse, Greenwood stood behind the Hallé musicians, his body at a slant and chin jutting nonchalantly, as he provided some of the work’s vital chugging on electric bass. His playing was subtly expressive, his plectrum featherweight, the bass’s occasional excursions away from repeated notes a stylish release as the Hallé’s wind and string players worked through Reich’s Copland-esque melodic lines. Under conductor Hugh Tieppo-Brunt it was a cool, understated performance. Continue reading...