Manchester Classical 2025 Opening Night – Live Review

Friday 27 June 2025

Bridgewater Hall, Manchester

For a review of day one click here and for day two click here

Jonny Greenwood performs Reich with the Hallé

The first Manchester Classical music festival took place two years ago, in June 2023. The festival won the RPS (Royal Philharmonic Society) ‘Series and Events’ award in 2024. The panel said,

‘We all know music’s power to bring us together. This was stupendously evident as the classical organisations of this very city united for Manchester Classical. It was a marvellous weekend of the finest music-making…

Mancunians came out in force to discover and take pride in the remarkable musical forces on their doorstep.‘

This year’s festival opened with music by Steve Reich. The Hallé was conducted by Colin Currie, who curated last year’s Reich Festival. Jonny Greenwood, guitarist with Radiohead and now an Oscar and BAFTA-nominated film composer, joined to play bass guitar on Pulse. Currie told BBC Radio 3 presenter Elizabeth Alker that Greenwood is a great fan of the American composer and brings ‘great serenity’ to Reich’s music.

Greenwood has previously performed Reich’s Electric Counterpoint on guitar with the Hallé, but his bass playing was immaculate, with a lovely tone, particularly on the lower notes. The bass part occupies its own acoustic space below the other instruments – upper strings, woodwind and piano – and provides the emotional heart of the piece. His bass and the interlaced strings had a lovely interaction, with gorgeous melancholy and joyous harmonies. The serene pulsing of his line became more adventurous as the piece progressed. The audience sat in rapt attention, so quiet that when it finished, you could hear the air conditioning (essential during such a hot weekend) before the applause. Greenwood, an intensely self-effacing stage presence, gave a shy wave as he left the stage.     

The concert began with Reich’s iconic Clapping Music, deftly executed by Currie and David Hext. The subtle phasing of the four clapping hands created a mesmerising effect, and they gave each other a high five at the end. Runner, for two pianos, two vibraphones, strings and woodwind, relies on the two pianos to provide (for want of a better word) a running commentary throughout the piece, and the amplified sound slightly obscured their parts. Otherwise, though, it was an excellent performance. Currie brought out the jazzy elements and flourishes with his precise conducting. The music became quietly ecstatic, with heart-stopping key changes and a moment of profound stasis at the end. The final piece was Variations for Vibes, Piano and Strings, driven by syncopated bass lines from two pianos, with three string quartets and four vibraphones creating a unique sound world. The amplified sound was more transparent now, and the intricate lines were played with great precision. At the end, Currie held the score to his chest as if to acknowledge Reich’s mastery.

Artists and Repertoire

Steve Reich
Clapping Music
Runner
Pulse
Variations for Vibes, Piano and Strings

Colin Currie conductor
Jonny Greenwood bass guitar