If I was allowed to choose only one HKPO concert this new season, without a doubt, it would be the one on the previous Saturday, when the Russian legendary conductor Rozhdestvensky gave us the memorable performance of Shostakovich's symphony no.10 with the Hong Kong Philharmonic. I'm glad that I didn't miss it. And I feel pity for the local music lovers who didn't go and witness such a Russian master (who had lived through Stalin's tyranny and could probably understand Shostakovich's music in a deeper level) in transforming our local orchestra and giving an outstanding interpretation of the work here.
Honestly, I was at first a bit hesitant about it and even skeptical about such a 78-year-old Maestro's mental acuity and physical agility in leading an orchestra on stage (a mental picture of the very old Celibidache conducting the Munchner Philharmoniker from a sitting position playing slowly the Beethoven's fifth in HK a long time ago unavoidably spring to my mind). Although Rozhdestvensky was similarly in favour of the slower tempo overall, he obviously has a very clear mind and can conduct efficiently with the minimal limb movements and gestures. Not standing on the conductor's platform on stage and reading carefully the musical score in front of him all the way, he nevertheless showed absolute control of the whole orchestra and the music produced.
Such a well disciplined playing and nicely balanced orchestral sound was already evident from the tutti introduction at the beginning of Beethoven's violin concerto. Slower than what we used to hear, the momentum and tension of the music was never lost or hindered throughout, with the orchestral structure tightly built up and different harmonic parts neatly revealed, which would all be lost or rushed through normally and gone unnoticed in other versions that I've heard live or on CDs. The second movement was so beautifully played by the strings that gave me goose-bumps. Dynamics, articulations and phrasings were all miraculously done that the music was profoundly touching, while the final movement was satisfactorily exciting and exhilarating regardless of its consistently slow tempo.
Sasha Rozhdestvensky, with the slow but intimate accompaniment by his father, leisurely and carefully let his violin's long solo lines unfolded step by step. He produced very sweet and warm singing tone from his expensive violin, not to mention his good foundation of technique. However, some pitch problems were noticeable along the way, and his interpretation was quite plain and straight-forward due to his "self-restraint", so he left his lustre and showmanship in the cadenza (written by Schnittke), which sounds interestingly contemporary yet very difficult to play (and I thought it even comprises some fragments from other famous violin concerto including Brahms and Shostakovich). In view of this slow tempo (almost an hour long of running time), overall he did a decent job in keeping a good flow and holding it all together without much boredom. However, I personally feel that his technique is above his musicality in this concerto, and his encore piece of Bach's gigue proved me quite right. I guess maybe some modern contemporary music would be a better choice for him.
Luckily, the Shostakovich's 10th was the one I was interested. And it not only didn't fail me, it actually exceeded my every expectation. Some people may found Maestro's adoption of an overall slow tempo a bit disappointing, especially in the finale. To me, this approach intensify the pessimistic quality of the piece as the composer wrote after Stalin's death, and I enjoyed and appreciated it. I loved it right from the gloomy introduction by the cello and then the music built up gradually in the first movement. It was tastefully subtle and slow-paced that the effect was even more frightening and intimidating. Then the brief Scherzo was played excellently with enough anger and relentless forceful drive, in which the accented harshly-bowed string sound was particularly impressive to me, not to mention the screaming woodwind and overpowering brass.
In the following Allegretto, the two contrasting dialogue music (one introspective while another the self-confident DSCH motive) inter-played and inter-wined marvelously until interrupted repeatedly by the mellow and dreamy horn solo played excellently by Mark Vines. The finale began slowly and cautiously until gradually gaining momentum and lightening the atmosphere with very good control and build-up. But what I admired most from Maestro's interpretation of this movement was the palpable underlying uncertainty and pessimism within the apparent ecstasy that the music seemed and sounded. The orchestra's playing was top-notch, with a totally upgraded String section and a stably competent woodwinds (Andrew Simon and Kam Shui both excelled in their respective solo passages here). I couldn't help but gave it a standing ovation. Bravo indeed......
This was the best Shostakovich's Symphony no.10 performance I've ever encountered (I'm starting to like this symphony more and more afterwards), and one of the best and memorable concert I've ever experienced. Considering the ticket price as well, it would definitely be the best for value concert ever in Hong Kong that I've ever attended!
Oct 28, 2009
Oct 17, 2009
第三十八香港藝術節
我已經預訂了我的HKAF票! 您呢？
談論到來年的香港藝術節，實在叫一班如我的古典音樂愛好者十分失望。
不是我不喜歡Kirov和Gergiev，但這已是他們第三次應HKAF之邀請了。 並且他們以前帶來給我們更佳，更大和更加有趣的俄國歌劇如Queen of the Spades (而這次他們給我們Britten的小型劇作"Turn of the Screw"; 擔任的總共只有6名歌手/演員和只演兩場......)。 其外， 又以音樂會方式選擇性地上演Wagner指環歌劇的其中一幕，這種節目比較起他們之前帶來如馬勒的第二交響曲音樂會時，今次似乎不甚令人滿意足夠吧。 就連Edo de Waart和HKPO也以Bruckner 8作為曲目，似乎還更加有吸引力和更加認真。
英國的愛樂管弦樂團，單獨以最近的往績來說並不算是卓越(有趣的是，不少歲月之前我在倫敦看他們就正是Gergiev棒下演奏包括火鳥的全俄國音樂節目)，但是今次由指揮Dohnanyi帶領就相當令人期待和可能是古典愛樂者的必然之選。
當然，如果你喜歡巴洛克式樂隊的復古和學院派的演出， Rene Jacobs和弗萊堡古樂團就是必須一看的，特别是節目包括了他們的莫札特演繹。 然而， 我仍然深感可惜他們不能帶給我們莫札特的其中一部歌劇...... (還好我們下個月仍然能幸運地看到本地上演的魔笛)
Meta4弦樂四重奏是當代音樂愛好者的一個好選擇，尤其當你在今年早前錯過了Trey Lee那個香港室內樂音樂節中他們的中提琴和大提琴兩位成員的精彩表現，他們確是非常勝任和美妙的室樂音樂家。
超級明星Mikhail Rudy則在鋼琴獨奏會中帶來著名的Pictures at an exhibition及超技的 " Petrushka"，實在有足夠的吸引力，而他的演出總是令人歡欣。 然而，他是這樣一個頻繁訪港的音樂家，這可能減輕了他的叫座力。
同樣，本地超級明星李傳韻與他喜愛的那"炫技的"Paganini隨想曲，相信如果不是他常常在聚光燈之下而開始令人生厭，相信會更得觀眾鍾意。
對我來說， Andreas Scholl的迷人歌聲加上 Karamazov以Lute伴奏，才是使人開眼界的上好另類選擇。 保證是一個非常新鮮和叫人滿足的音樂會。 (可憐竟在平日演出)
如果你喜愛舞蹈和芭蕾，這次也必定令你失望吧。 Mariinsky將給我們一個半古典式芭蕾劇" Don Quixote" ，比起通常和傳統的芭蕾節目，這是套更像熱鬧節日狂歡節的表現。 唯獨好在算是為全家合家歡的節目。 我就寧可看一些由荷蘭國家芭蕾舞團的現代舞蹈。 不僅便宜，更是物超所值。
可能非古典的音樂愛好者會比較愉快和對HKAF滿意，由Cafe de los Maestros演奏的探戈音樂會，Guy Barker的爵士樂音樂會，和尼娜Simone的致敬音樂會，全部都相當有看頭。
但是，我更肯定愛看劇場的人將會更興奮，有一個好劇連連的藝術節，從Sam Mendes導演的莎士比亞劇"暴風雨"， Berkoff'的電影改篇作品"On the Waterfront"， 到中國著名顯要的林兆華打造的"老舍五則"，本地毛俊輝所導的"情話紫釵"起用了星級的演員和製作班底，還有年輕／普及／天才的編劇／導演／女演員黃詠詩的新劇作"香港式離婚"......我想知道劇迷怎麼在這些之中作出選擇呢？!
為免後悔太遲，點擊這裡並且預訂吧！
談論到來年的香港藝術節，實在叫一班如我的古典音樂愛好者十分失望。
不是我不喜歡Kirov和Gergiev，但這已是他們第三次應HKAF之邀請了。 並且他們以前帶來給我們更佳，更大和更加有趣的俄國歌劇如Queen of the Spades (而這次他們給我們Britten的小型劇作"Turn of the Screw"; 擔任的總共只有6名歌手/演員和只演兩場......)。 其外， 又以音樂會方式選擇性地上演Wagner指環歌劇的其中一幕，這種節目比較起他們之前帶來如馬勒的第二交響曲音樂會時，今次似乎不甚令人滿意足夠吧。 就連Edo de Waart和HKPO也以Bruckner 8作為曲目，似乎還更加有吸引力和更加認真。
英國的愛樂管弦樂團，單獨以最近的往績來說並不算是卓越(有趣的是，不少歲月之前我在倫敦看他們就正是Gergiev棒下演奏包括火鳥的全俄國音樂節目)，但是今次由指揮Dohnanyi帶領就相當令人期待和可能是古典愛樂者的必然之選。
當然，如果你喜歡巴洛克式樂隊的復古和學院派的演出， Rene Jacobs和弗萊堡古樂團就是必須一看的，特别是節目包括了他們的莫札特演繹。 然而， 我仍然深感可惜他們不能帶給我們莫札特的其中一部歌劇...... (還好我們下個月仍然能幸運地看到本地上演的魔笛)
Meta4弦樂四重奏是當代音樂愛好者的一個好選擇，尤其當你在今年早前錯過了Trey Lee那個香港室內樂音樂節中他們的中提琴和大提琴兩位成員的精彩表現，他們確是非常勝任和美妙的室樂音樂家。
超級明星Mikhail Rudy則在鋼琴獨奏會中帶來著名的Pictures at an exhibition及超技的 " Petrushka"，實在有足夠的吸引力，而他的演出總是令人歡欣。 然而，他是這樣一個頻繁訪港的音樂家，這可能減輕了他的叫座力。
同樣，本地超級明星李傳韻與他喜愛的那"炫技的"Paganini隨想曲，相信如果不是他常常在聚光燈之下而開始令人生厭，相信會更得觀眾鍾意。
對我來說， Andreas Scholl的迷人歌聲加上 Karamazov以Lute伴奏，才是使人開眼界的上好另類選擇。 保證是一個非常新鮮和叫人滿足的音樂會。 (可憐竟在平日演出)
如果你喜愛舞蹈和芭蕾，這次也必定令你失望吧。 Mariinsky將給我們一個半古典式芭蕾劇" Don Quixote" ，比起通常和傳統的芭蕾節目，這是套更像熱鬧節日狂歡節的表現。 唯獨好在算是為全家合家歡的節目。 我就寧可看一些由荷蘭國家芭蕾舞團的現代舞蹈。 不僅便宜，更是物超所值。
可能非古典的音樂愛好者會比較愉快和對HKAF滿意，由Cafe de los Maestros演奏的探戈音樂會，Guy Barker的爵士樂音樂會，和尼娜Simone的致敬音樂會，全部都相當有看頭。
但是，我更肯定愛看劇場的人將會更興奮，有一個好劇連連的藝術節，從Sam Mendes導演的莎士比亞劇"暴風雨"， Berkoff'的電影改篇作品"On the Waterfront"， 到中國著名顯要的林兆華打造的"老舍五則"，本地毛俊輝所導的"情話紫釵"起用了星級的演員和製作班底，還有年輕／普及／天才的編劇／導演／女演員黃詠詩的新劇作"香港式離婚"......我想知道劇迷怎麼在這些之中作出選擇呢？!
為免後悔太遲，點擊這裡並且預訂吧！
Oct 13, 2009
Freddy Kempf and Hong Kong Sinfonietta
Only a week after Schumann's violin concerto performed by Blacher and HKPO, Schumann's much more popular piano concerto was staged at the same place the past Saturday by Hong Kong Sinfonietta together with virtuosic young pianist Freddy Kempf.
The concert opened with a purely string ensemble piece - a collection of 3 film scores by famous Japanese contemporary composer Takemitsu. This set of three film scores is among the most popular works of the composer and is widely performed around the world nowadays (recently played in Beijing by the Abbado's Lucerne Festival Orchestra). And I think it's a perfect repertoire to kick off this HKS's concert, considering their Japanese guest conductor Hirokami of the evening.
The small string ensemble, with guest concertmaster James Cuddeford (of Grainger Quartet again), showed their precision and intimacy in the playing, while the conductor put most of his energy and stress on the dynamic changes, rhythmic changes and the musical phrasing. The resulted music was lively and infectious, especially the final waltz. However, Hirokami at the same time uncontrollably produced some audibly disturbing breathing sound all the way, mixing together with the fine orchestral sound while conducting.
Luckily, with Freddy Kempf brought onto the stage for Schumann's piano concerto, his breathing sound was somehow lightened and reduced with some self restraint. Right from the start of the first movement of the concerto, it was clear that Kempf was giving us a more inhibited, introverted and a very melancholic playing instead of the schizophrenic Schumann we're familiar with. The main theme was introduced in a much slower pace but full of intense nostalgia and meditation. His playing was very well articulated with exquisite intonation and expressive phrasing, especially marked in the second movement.
Sometimes his tasteful rubato, ritardando and thoughtful tempo change gave the music a further impressive impact and genius touch. What's more astonishing was the orchestra's chamber-like accompaniment, giving the soloist close support and interaction from time to time. Though not quite explosive and dazzling in the final movement, Kempf's virtuosic fingerworks served the finale well and fast enough. Overall, with the emotional contrasts deliberately tuned down, the concerto was successfully executed with Kempf's overpowering musicality shining through and winning over his solid piano technique. That was responded by audience's thunderous applause in recognition, and in return we were treated with a Chopin's equally musicality-over-technique Etude as an encore. (By the way, I think it's the best Schumann piano concerto version I've witnessed live so far. My only complaint would be the problematic French horns, while the clarinet stays as my favourite among the wind instruments that evening.)
The Pastoral by Beethoven in the second half of the concert was painted with very broad stroke overall, missing some fine details in between, more so in the slower second movement. This was in fact visually evident when the bass section of the strings of HKS was much expanded with freelance players after the intermission. While the conductor was concentrating on steadier and tighter tempo control, aiming for a grand or sometimes ecstatic atmosphere, the sense of spontaneity and freshness that this symphony badly required were sacrificed, resulted in somehow uncomfortably exaggerated dynamics, and even unnaturally overwhelming orchestral sound. It sounded like they were playing the Eroica! Nonetheless, the conductor (apart from his annoying heavy breathe sounds) led the orchestra very well, with good syncopation and unity, and his gestures for phrasing and giving cues to each section was done efficiently and accurately. All in all, while the execution was smooth and satisfactory, it lacked the appropriate musical sense, atmosphere and fine details that this great masterpiece demands.
10 October 2009 8pm
Hong Kong City Hall Concert Hall
Conductor - Junichi Hirokami
Pianist - Freddy Kempf
Takemitsu - Three film scores
Schumann - Piano Concerto in A minor
Beethoven - Symphony no.6 "Pastoral"
The concert opened with a purely string ensemble piece - a collection of 3 film scores by famous Japanese contemporary composer Takemitsu. This set of three film scores is among the most popular works of the composer and is widely performed around the world nowadays (recently played in Beijing by the Abbado's Lucerne Festival Orchestra). And I think it's a perfect repertoire to kick off this HKS's concert, considering their Japanese guest conductor Hirokami of the evening.
The small string ensemble, with guest concertmaster James Cuddeford (of Grainger Quartet again), showed their precision and intimacy in the playing, while the conductor put most of his energy and stress on the dynamic changes, rhythmic changes and the musical phrasing. The resulted music was lively and infectious, especially the final waltz. However, Hirokami at the same time uncontrollably produced some audibly disturbing breathing sound all the way, mixing together with the fine orchestral sound while conducting.
Luckily, with Freddy Kempf brought onto the stage for Schumann's piano concerto, his breathing sound was somehow lightened and reduced with some self restraint. Right from the start of the first movement of the concerto, it was clear that Kempf was giving us a more inhibited, introverted and a very melancholic playing instead of the schizophrenic Schumann we're familiar with. The main theme was introduced in a much slower pace but full of intense nostalgia and meditation. His playing was very well articulated with exquisite intonation and expressive phrasing, especially marked in the second movement.
Sometimes his tasteful rubato, ritardando and thoughtful tempo change gave the music a further impressive impact and genius touch. What's more astonishing was the orchestra's chamber-like accompaniment, giving the soloist close support and interaction from time to time. Though not quite explosive and dazzling in the final movement, Kempf's virtuosic fingerworks served the finale well and fast enough. Overall, with the emotional contrasts deliberately tuned down, the concerto was successfully executed with Kempf's overpowering musicality shining through and winning over his solid piano technique. That was responded by audience's thunderous applause in recognition, and in return we were treated with a Chopin's equally musicality-over-technique Etude as an encore. (By the way, I think it's the best Schumann piano concerto version I've witnessed live so far. My only complaint would be the problematic French horns, while the clarinet stays as my favourite among the wind instruments that evening.)
The Pastoral by Beethoven in the second half of the concert was painted with very broad stroke overall, missing some fine details in between, more so in the slower second movement. This was in fact visually evident when the bass section of the strings of HKS was much expanded with freelance players after the intermission. While the conductor was concentrating on steadier and tighter tempo control, aiming for a grand or sometimes ecstatic atmosphere, the sense of spontaneity and freshness that this symphony badly required were sacrificed, resulted in somehow uncomfortably exaggerated dynamics, and even unnaturally overwhelming orchestral sound. It sounded like they were playing the Eroica! Nonetheless, the conductor (apart from his annoying heavy breathe sounds) led the orchestra very well, with good syncopation and unity, and his gestures for phrasing and giving cues to each section was done efficiently and accurately. All in all, while the execution was smooth and satisfactory, it lacked the appropriate musical sense, atmosphere and fine details that this great masterpiece demands.
10 October 2009 8pm
Hong Kong City Hall Concert Hall
Conductor - Junichi Hirokami
Pianist - Freddy Kempf
Takemitsu - Three film scores
Schumann - Piano Concerto in A minor
Beethoven - Symphony no.6 "Pastoral"
Oct 9, 2009
(500) Days of Summer
As the tag line of the movie suggests, this is not a love story, but a story about love.
It is a simple story about boy meets girl, but from the perspective of the boy.
What makes it so refreshing and can stand out among others?
1. Non-traditionally, their story is presented in a non-chronological way. So it would jump back and forth between the 500 days of their relationship, with the day stated clearly before each scene.
2. Unconventionally, the boy fantasizes about true love, fate, soul mate and commitment while the girl is realistically pessimistic about those things and does not at all believe in true love. She would rather have fun in casual relationship and sex without caring too much for the future.
3. They don't live happily ever after in the end. Instead, they walk their separate ways.
4. First time movie director Marc Webb's stylish handling and personalised telling of the story. His vision and technique showed his root as the MTV director, which is especially an extra credit in this movie to add the very suitable songs and soundtrack to propel and enhance the story.
5. It's not another formula romantic comedy or usual chick flick. But rather it may be equally appealing to both gender of the audience for the first time.
6. Joseph Gordon Levitt started acting since very young age and his training through sit-com like "Third Rock from the Sun" and various good independent movies makes him a perfect candidate for the lead character Tom in this movie, as he's capable of both good subtle humorous and overtly dramatic performance at the same time. And also it would be the right moment for Zooey Deschanel to shine here as Summer.
However, to me, it's Michael Weber and Scott Neustadter's brilliant story with witty humour and its angle that impressed me most. In fact, the story is very plain and simple, but it has those realistic qualities that we all encountered and experienced in lives. And that's why it touches our hearts and causes resonance.
Male or female, when in love, we all go through the sweet-and-bitter sort of long-awaiting pursuing, the passionate ecstasy when going steady, the guilty pleasure in doing minor stupid things together, and sometimes the heartbreaking fights, the cool down and get-back-together stuffs, and of course unavoidably, the final closure and permanent separation. Some of these were nicely captured and presented innovative in the movie like the expectations/reality split-screen, the park dance sequence, the various old-place bench on the hill scenes, etc......
In the movie, Tom and Summer, though very different in terms of their views about love and commitment, can't help but fall in love, which may well be destined to be a failure. However, through the relationship and their encounter, they influence each other greatly. Tom taught Summer, through his passion in Architecture, to look at things carefully which people normally ignored, while Summer taught him that life is never as well-planned and structured as Architecture, and so people should be adventurous and able to take chances like she is. Besides, towards the end of the movie, Tom learnt to be less hopelessly romantic and trust less in the fate and even quited his job, while Summer began to believe in coincidence and found her true love. We can see even though things don't work out for them, through the 500 days, they affected each other tremendously.
Similarly, I guess we all matures and gets better personally through love and every single relationship. It doesn't matter even it fails at the end. Just like the end of this movie, after the heartbreak comes a bit more wisdom. And after Summer, there comes Autumn!
Oct 4, 2009
Kolja Blacher with HKPO
Kolja Blacher, a former concertmaster of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and current leader of Abbado's Lucerne Festival Orchestra (which just had a successful visit to Beijing), came back once again to lead our Hong Kong Philharmonic during the Mid-Autumn Festival weekend and brought us a refreshing programme of enchanting and easy-listening music.
Non-traditionally, the concert opened with Mozart's last Symphony "Jupiter". Kolja Blacher led the orchestra as their concertmaster and without a formal conductor. Authentically enough, he used a smaller-size string section (10/8/6/4/2) that was seated in the conventional way (cello in the front near the edge of stage on the right side and double bass at their back).
Kolja Blacher's reading of Mozart concentrated on the momentum and emotional contrast rather than the analytical and structural approach by Haitink during earlier this year's HK Arts Festival. The tempo was on the fast side and the drive was impressive. The strings of the orchestra was much enhanced with more precision, vibrancy and fluency. Their usual harsh and intimidating sound was somehow compensated by the appropriate phrasing and delicate bowing. Also, the dialogue between sections within the strings was wonderfully done and balanced, especially evident during the fugue passages.
However, without the conductor, the wind instruments sometimes failed to sound in perfect unison with the strings (notably the careless bassoon in the first movement). Nevertheless, the French Horns and bassoons deliberately sounded soft enough to blend in meticulously. Beside the slightly unfocused first movement, the overall execution was very satisfactory, including their emotionally charged and brilliantly singing Andante, fast paced yet suitably rhythmic and accented minuet, or the superbly energized and cohesively played finale. Overall a very clean and clear interpretation of the music full of youthful energy and classical style. My only reservation would be the weak double bass and the strangely blended and mostly overwhelming tympani sound throughout.
With the addition of one more flute and two clarinets onto the stage, what followed was the very rarely heard violin concerto - the Schumann's long ignored and forgotten concerto by generations. And honestly, this is understandable, for the concerto is somehow quite "segmented" and "free" in nature, not to mention the imbalance between the soloist and the accompaniment or the substandard orchestral writing. However, it is still infused with the composer's trademark sentimentality and intense emotion noted in the various exceptionally appealing melodies, which were more so in the hands of Kolja Blacher.
His playing, beside being technically efficient (the multiple stops and the rapid runs of double stops all seemed nothing to him), is well-pitched, very clean, extremely passionate and songful, with a wide range of dynamics and expressions, and full of flexibility in tempo. He also looked after some minor details and less prominent dialogues of the piece so to keep the music going (resulted in an especially less stagnant but poignant second movement).
Once again, conducting as the soloist did have a downside, and so beside sacrificing the overall orchestral balance (the winds sounded not strong enough while the bass section seemed a bit too weak), the accompaniment by the orchestra was less than satisfying at times (more problematic in the first movement, and Blacher at one juncture even resorted to stomping of his foot to keep the orchestra in beat). Having said that, in the tricky second movement (most of the time the cello's introductory theme is written in a way not playing in sync to the soloist's and vice versa), the orchestra pulled it off quite well. Richard Bamping deserved an extra credit here for his excellent cello solo playing and his intimate dialogue with Blacher, also for his successful leading through the seamless transition into the final movement, which was played mostly and incredibly well!
Without an encore to respond to the very warm applause by the audience, Blacher returned to the stage after the intermission to join only the strings of HKPO for the final piece of the evening - Tchaikovsky's famous and lovable Serenade for Strings. With a slightly expanded string section this time (especially the bass section), Blacher played and led as the concertmaster, giving us the most wonderful and memorable music of the evening. The ensemble not only sounded less suffocating as usual, but also gave us lustrously warm and very well balanced sound. From the passionate introduction and lively first movement, through enchanting waltz and nostalgic Elegy, to the exhilarating and vivacious finale, they played with very intense focus and delivered with the appropriate emotion and phrasing, convincing tempo changes and dynamics. I simply wish the orchestra's strings could keep on sounding like this throughout the year, preferably with a concertmaster of the calibre as Kolja Blacher......
Non-traditionally, the concert opened with Mozart's last Symphony "Jupiter". Kolja Blacher led the orchestra as their concertmaster and without a formal conductor. Authentically enough, he used a smaller-size string section (10/8/6/4/2) that was seated in the conventional way (cello in the front near the edge of stage on the right side and double bass at their back).
Kolja Blacher's reading of Mozart concentrated on the momentum and emotional contrast rather than the analytical and structural approach by Haitink during earlier this year's HK Arts Festival. The tempo was on the fast side and the drive was impressive. The strings of the orchestra was much enhanced with more precision, vibrancy and fluency. Their usual harsh and intimidating sound was somehow compensated by the appropriate phrasing and delicate bowing. Also, the dialogue between sections within the strings was wonderfully done and balanced, especially evident during the fugue passages.
However, without the conductor, the wind instruments sometimes failed to sound in perfect unison with the strings (notably the careless bassoon in the first movement). Nevertheless, the French Horns and bassoons deliberately sounded soft enough to blend in meticulously. Beside the slightly unfocused first movement, the overall execution was very satisfactory, including their emotionally charged and brilliantly singing Andante, fast paced yet suitably rhythmic and accented minuet, or the superbly energized and cohesively played finale. Overall a very clean and clear interpretation of the music full of youthful energy and classical style. My only reservation would be the weak double bass and the strangely blended and mostly overwhelming tympani sound throughout.
With the addition of one more flute and two clarinets onto the stage, what followed was the very rarely heard violin concerto - the Schumann's long ignored and forgotten concerto by generations. And honestly, this is understandable, for the concerto is somehow quite "segmented" and "free" in nature, not to mention the imbalance between the soloist and the accompaniment or the substandard orchestral writing. However, it is still infused with the composer's trademark sentimentality and intense emotion noted in the various exceptionally appealing melodies, which were more so in the hands of Kolja Blacher.
His playing, beside being technically efficient (the multiple stops and the rapid runs of double stops all seemed nothing to him), is well-pitched, very clean, extremely passionate and songful, with a wide range of dynamics and expressions, and full of flexibility in tempo. He also looked after some minor details and less prominent dialogues of the piece so to keep the music going (resulted in an especially less stagnant but poignant second movement).
Once again, conducting as the soloist did have a downside, and so beside sacrificing the overall orchestral balance (the winds sounded not strong enough while the bass section seemed a bit too weak), the accompaniment by the orchestra was less than satisfying at times (more problematic in the first movement, and Blacher at one juncture even resorted to stomping of his foot to keep the orchestra in beat). Having said that, in the tricky second movement (most of the time the cello's introductory theme is written in a way not playing in sync to the soloist's and vice versa), the orchestra pulled it off quite well. Richard Bamping deserved an extra credit here for his excellent cello solo playing and his intimate dialogue with Blacher, also for his successful leading through the seamless transition into the final movement, which was played mostly and incredibly well!
Without an encore to respond to the very warm applause by the audience, Blacher returned to the stage after the intermission to join only the strings of HKPO for the final piece of the evening - Tchaikovsky's famous and lovable Serenade for Strings. With a slightly expanded string section this time (especially the bass section), Blacher played and led as the concertmaster, giving us the most wonderful and memorable music of the evening. The ensemble not only sounded less suffocating as usual, but also gave us lustrously warm and very well balanced sound. From the passionate introduction and lively first movement, through enchanting waltz and nostalgic Elegy, to the exhilarating and vivacious finale, they played with very intense focus and delivered with the appropriate emotion and phrasing, convincing tempo changes and dynamics. I simply wish the orchestra's strings could keep on sounding like this throughout the year, preferably with a concertmaster of the calibre as Kolja Blacher......
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