The Royal Festival Hall in London witnessed a powerful musical statement on Monday evening as the Philharmonia Orchestra gave the UK premiere of a major new work. Under the baton of its Principal Conductor, Santtu-Matias Rouvali, the orchestra presented the first British performance of Fazıl Say's piano concerto, 'Mother Earth' (Ana Toprak). The concert, which took place on 1 December 2025, framed this contemporary ecological plea with classic works by Beethoven and Sibelius.
A Concerto for a Planet in Crisis
Turkish composer and pianist Fazıl Say wrote 'Mother Earth' as a direct response to the escalating climate emergency. The piece is structured in four distinct movements, each representing a fundamental natural element: Air, Water, Fire, and Earth. Say, who also performed as the soloist for the premiere, uses the piano concerto format to create a narrative of environmental urgency and profound beauty.
The performance was characterised by its immense dynamic range and evocative textures. Say's piano lines ranged from delicate, folk-inspired melodies to thunderous, percussive passages that seemed to echo the fury of natural forces. The orchestration provided a vast, cinematic soundscape, with particularly striking use of wind and percussion to depict the swirling of air and the crackle of flames.
Rouvali's Command and Orchestral Contrasts
The concert opened with a robust and vividly detailed account of Beethoven's 'Creatures of Prometheus' Overture. This served as a spirited prelude, showcasing the Philharmonia's precision and Rouvali's clear, energetic direction. The choice of this piece, with its themes of creation and human endeavour, created an intriguing, if unintended, dialogue with the environmental concerns of the main work.
Following the interval, the orchestra turned to the Nordic soundworld of Jean Sibelius for his Symphony No. 5. Rouvali, a Finn himself, is a noted interpreter of this repertoire. His reading was expansive and powerfully shaped, emphasising the symphony's organic growth from mysterious beginnings to its famously triumphant, hymn-like conclusion. The orchestra's strings delivered a rich, cohesive sound, while the brass sections resonated with authority in the grand finale.
A Night of Musical Power and Purpose
The evening successfully balanced a standard orchestral programme with a significant act of contemporary commissioning. Fazıl Say's 'Mother Earth' was undeniably the centrepiece, a work of substantial ambition that translates global anxiety into compelling musical language. Its UK premiere at the Royal Festival Hall marks an important moment for new music with a social conscience.
Santtu-Matias Rouvali's leadership throughout was assured, demonstrating a strong rapport with the Philharmonia musicians. He navigated the stylistic jump from Beethoven's classicism to Say's modernism and Sibelius's late-Romanticism with evident skill. The concert affirmed the orchestra's commitment to relevant new works while maintaining its excellence in the core symphonic tradition.
