Spanish National Orchestra Shines in Proms Debut

The Spanish National Orchestra finally made its Proms debut on Monday evening at the Royal Albert Hall, nearly nine decades after its founding. Chief conductor David Afkham, who will hand over the baton to Kent Nagano next season, led the ensemble through a program steeped in Spanish musical heritage.

The concert opened with the writhing seguidilla of Ravel's 'Alborada del gracioso,' followed by Falla's 'Fantasia baetica' in Francisco Coll's 2022 orchestration, receiving its first Proms performance. Both works, originally for piano, were delivered in comfortable, mid-paced accounts that softened their inherent virtuosity into something more relaxed.

Guitarist Rafael Aguirre, winner of 13 first prizes at international competitions, performed Rodrigo's 'Concierto de Aranjuez' with a laid-back approach. Good-natured and folk-direct in the outer movements, he found a different color for the wistful slow movement, his cadenza drawing the audience in rather than reaching out. Afkham kept the orchestra on a tight rein, though the effect was at times muted.

The program also featured Spanish castanets, and during the encore, Afkham surprised the audience by donning a football scarf of a Spanish team. The orchestra's reputation in Spanish repertoire was cemented with a Latin Grammy for best flamenco album in 2010 under Josep Pons.