A SOIRÉE OF CLASSICAL MUSIC / Boris Kraljevic & Friends / Review

A SOIREE OF CLASSICAL MUSIC

Boris Kraljevic and Friends

The Living Room @ The Arts House

Friday (4 January 2013)

This review was published in The Straits Times on 7 January 2013 with the title "Friends' soirée sizzled and stewed".

While The Arts House at Old Parliament House has established itself as a centre for literary arts, it is also an ideal venue for the performance of art songs and chamber music. Its quaint and intimate spaces lend themselves well, where artists and small audiences literally share the same breath. Such was the setting in The Living Room where Montenegro-born pianist Boris Kraljevic, now resident in Singapore, and his musical colleagues held sway.

All ears were on the Prima Vista String Quartet from Poland which began with the slow movement of Schubert’s “Death and the Maiden” Quartet, a set of variations on the chord-filled opening of his Lied of the same title. Its four members were in one voice throughout, with first violinist Krzysztof Bzowka and cellist Zbigniew Krzyminski alternately providing the melodic interest.

The quartet also provided premium support for the Briton Neil Franks, a mature student of Kraljevic, in J.S.Bach’s Piano Concerto in F minor (BWV.1056). That the keyboard was able to transcend the accompaniment and project spoke volumes for the non-professional soloist, while metronomic in parts was anything but amateurish.

Next, Serbian violinist Vuk Krakovic, another resident here, poured his heart out in Nigun (Improvisation) from Ernest Bloch’s Baal Shem Suite, a rapturous evocation of Hassidic prayer life. His rich, robust tone and perfect intonation, accompanied by Kraljevic on piano, made this a hale and hearty outing.

The ever-sensitive Kraljevic then partnered celebrated soprano Nancy Yuen in songs by Mozart and Schubert. Here the evening took on the congenial atmosphere of a Schubertiade, those soirees of legend when the Austrian composer and his friends performed and sang to each other’s delight. She dedicated the lovely Du bist die Ruh (You Are The Peace) to the memory of the late tenor Lim Shieh Yih (left), moments of sober reflection before the joyous Alleluia from Mozart’s Exsultate Jubilate celebrated a glorious life.

The second half belonged wholly to Kraljevic and the quartet in Dvorak’s Piano Quintet in A major (Op.81). The piano established the rocking rhythm, to which Krzyminski’s cello sang a lament that laid the path for an exciting and totally riveting reading. Heavily influenced by Bohemian folk song and dance, the work alternated melancholy with vigorous merry-making, and a plethora of emotions besides.

Violist Piotr Nowicki’s plaint in the Dumka slow movement was emblematic of the passion that swung between extremes with Kraljevic’s magisterial pianism keeping pace throughout. The tempo picked up for the boisterous dances in the final movements, concluding a performance that sizzled and stewed in Slavonic sauces. The Furiant movement was encored out of popular demand. Chamber music does not get better than this.   

Applause for all the performers (from L): Violinist Krzysztof  Bzowka, violinist Joszef Kolinek, pianist  Boris Kraljevic, cellist Zbigniew Krzyminski, violist Piotr Nowicki, soprano Nancy Yuen, pianist Neil Franks and violinist Vuk Krakovic.

BALI CLASSICAL NIGHTS II @ Villa Ombak Laut

The second evening of Bali Classical Nights (29 December 2012) was a totally informal affair, held away from the media glare in the far more congenial environment of Villa Ombak Laut in Cemagi, the island hideaway of the Franks family. All the performers from the previous evening had returned, and after a sumptuous dinner spread topped up by delectable chocolate mousse, the music began.

Korean flautist Hyun Ju Juno Lee joined members
of the Prima Vista String Quartet
in Mozart's Flute Quartet in C major.

Then it was the turn of the host Neil Franks,
who performed the solo part of J.S.Bach's  Piano Concerto
in F minor (1st movement) with the quartet.

Four hands on one piano: Neil Franks and his teacher Boris Kraljevic  
with Dvorak's first two Slavonic Dances from the Op.72 book.

More piano music, with Tou Liang in Debussy's Clair de lune.

Korean soprano Sung Hee Park is joined by flautist Soyoung Lee
and pianist Boris Kraljevic  in Mendelssohn's On Wings of Song
with variations and Caccini's Ave Maria.  

The Prima Vista String Quartet then played Joplin's The Entertainer
and transported the audience to Vienna with Strauss'  Pizzicato Polka,
On The Beautiful Blue Danube and the Radetzky March.
If you can't make the Vienna Philharmonic's
New Year's Day Concert, Bali will do nicely!

All Bali Classical Nights end with its signature tune,
when all and sundry play Wilhelm Ganz's  
Grand Gallop de Concert, Qui Vive. 
A great way to close the old year and great the new.

BALI CLASSICAL NIGHTS I: A SOIRÉE OF CLASSICAL MUSIC / Hotel Tugu Bali

A SOIRÉE OF CLASSICAL MUSIC

HOTEL TUGU BALI

28 December 2012

Here are the photos from a magical evening of chamber music and art song at the third edition of Bali Classical Nights, the annual post-Christmas musical soirée held in the Wantilan Agung Hall of Tugu Bali Hotel on Canggu Beach. There was a more varied programme this year, with a full piano concerto and piano quintet to boot. It seems that the audience is getting more bang for their buck from the international cast of performers.

The beautifully decorated  Wantilan Agung Hall  
of Tugu Bali Hotel,
with its high ceiling  and ever-looming Garuda,
was the perfect venue for chamber music.

The evening opened with Boris Kraljevic and Neil Franks
performing the first two Slavonic Dances (Op.72)
by Antonin Dvorak. 

The Prima Vista String Quartet from Poland
was the resident ensemble of the festival.
Here  the foursome performs the first movement
from Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik.

Korean flautist Hyun Joo Juno Lee joined members
of the quartet to play Mozart's Flute Quartet No.1 in D major.

Its dazzling diva time, with Korean soprano Sung Hee Park
in sparkling form in a aria from Bach's Coffee Cantata
and Adolphe Adam's Ah, dirai vous je maman.
Accompanying her was flautist Soyoung Lee. 

Neil Franks performs Bach's Piano Concerto in F minor
(BWV.1056) with the Prima Vista Quartet.

After the intermission, Boris Kraljevic was joined
by the Prima Vista Quartet
in Dvorak's Piano Quintet in A major (Op.81).
Despite being the longest work in the evening by far, it was
a very gripping performance which held the audience in a thrall.

More coloratura arias closed the evening's sumptuous fare:
Mozart's Queen of the Night's Aria (The Magic Flute) and
Offenbach's Doll Aria (Tales of Hoffmann)
from soprano Sung Hee Park.

Sadly the soirée had to come to an end.
Here's to Bali Classical Nights 2013!