City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
Symphony Hall, Birmingham

Thursday afternoon brought two debutantes to Symphony Hall. This was the first appearance of the young cellist Guy Johnston and the first time CBSO assistant conductor Michael Seal and conducted a full subscription concert with the orchestra he has graced so long from his second violin desk.

Johnston showed remarkable composure during his initial entry in the wonderful Dvorak Cello Concerto, focusing himself and the audience while a medical incident was going on in the stalls.

Musically he was a compact, elegant ‘reading’ rather small toned in delivery, but promising of much more interpretively in the future. The consummate technique required for this subtly demanding masterpiece is already in place – singing tone, generosity and effortless multiple stopping – now we look forward to more projection, less inhibited communication.

Seal and the orchestra accompanied with sensitivity and obvious delight, with gorgeous horn and violin solos. And, at the end it was touching to see how young Johnston turned to Ulrich Heinen, the CBSO’s world-renowned co-principal cellist, to shake the great hand.

Like Johnston, Michael Seal is still comparatively new to the job, and he, too, has all the technique upon which to build a more relaxed delivery.

Christopher Morle