SSO CONCERT: YOUNG BRITTEN / Review

YOUNG BRITTEN

Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Esplanade Concert Hall

Friday (25 October 2013)

This review was published in The Straits Times on 28 October 2013 with the title "Britten scores with quirky charm".

Despite the fair number of recordings of Benjamin Britten’s Piano Concerto (Op.13) of 1938 that exist, it has never been performed in Singapore. That is until this evening, when 2013 Gramophone Award winning British pianist Steven Osborne threw off the gloves and took its white-knuckled challenges face on. It is one of the centenary-commemorated composer’s earlier, eclectic and more engaging scores.

The opening Toccata flashed across at a blistering pace, owing not a little to Prokofiev’s motoric and percussive brilliance, which Osborne realised with rhythmic precision and accuracy. The contrasting Waltz was more of a burlesque, with Zhang Manchin’s lilting viola solo and piquant contributions from piccolo and tambourine to begin.

The final revision of the third movement was performed, the original more discursive and improvisatory version giving way to the darkly introspective Impromptu and variations, which itself devolved into a ghostly little waltz along the way.

It is the quirky charms of the work that delighted, not least the over-the-top final March, full of mock heroics a la Shostakovich and a stampede of notes to close. Applause for Osborne (left) and the orchestra yielded yet another waltz as piano encore, from Ravel’s Valses nobles et sentimentales.

The concert conducted by SSO Associate Conductor Jason Lai began with Wagner’s Prelude to Parsifal, a quiet work formed by a succession of spiritual meditations with the Dresden Amen as centrepiece. The unison in the strings was warm and homogeneous, well matched by beautifully burnished brass chorales which impressed with restraint and control.

Schumann’s Second Symphony in C major, his longest and most Beethovenian of four symphonies, could easily sound portentous and bloated. Not so this evening, with orchestral forces pared down to almost chamber size, the result being a performance of much freshness and vitality. Grandeur was not sacrificed by swifter tempos, instead the sense of movement and momentum was thrillingly heightened in the first movement’s development.

This perpetual motion was furthered in the free-wheeling Scherzo, which seemed scarcely plausible when accomplished at this speed. The relative gravity in the slow movement provided a stable anchor and for once, there was time to breathe and deeply imbibe its love message.

Schumann was fond of ciphers and encryptions in his music, and collectors of themes will recognise that within the glory-making of the finale, a quote from Beethoven’s song cycle An die ferne Geliebte (To The Distant Beloved) boldly pronounced. With passions and hormones raging, the orchestra and Lai (above) at full flight made no secrets to the composer’s intentions as the symphony soared to a breathtaking close.    

SSO Concert: Viennese Classics / Review

VIENNESE DELIGHTS / Singapore Symphony Orchestra
Conservatory Concert Hall / Saturday (14 May 2011)

This review was published in The Straits Times on 16 May 2011 with the title "Mirror image of symphonies".

It is always interesting to see and hear the Singapore Symphony Orchestra performing outside of the Esplanade. For the season’s last pair of subscription concerts, the orchestra moved to the smaller space of Yong Siew Toh Conservatory’s concert hall. The cosiness and friendly atmosphere of Victoria Concert Hall was relived, with the evening’s conductor Okko Kamu spotted mingling with concert-goers in the foyer before the concert and during the interval.

Chamber music and performances with smaller forces are better served in this hall, which explained the programme from the First Viennese School. The coupling of symphonies by Haydn and Beethoven, juxtaposing master and student, was a totally euphonious one, the symmetry of which became apparent when the orchestra sounded the first chord.

How late Haydn had influenced early Beethoven could be felt in the former’s Symphony No.102 in B flat major, opening the concert. The now-familiar schema of slow and serious introduction giving way to sheer energy and vivacity came from the older composer. The orchestra responded with silvery sheen from the strings and absolute precision despite the dizzying velocity.

The slow movement exuded stately beauty, and while the 3rd movement’s Minuet could have done with more lightness, the jesting and quicksilver wit of the finale bowled one over. While Haydn remains music’s most underrated soul, the same could not be said of Beethoven. His Second Symphony in D major saw almost a repeat of Haydn’s mastery of form, but the amplified by younger composer’s irrepressible and surging spirit.

Yet it was not all boom and bluster, as the orchestra coaxed some of the concert’s most lovely moments in the sublime Larghetto. Time stood still before Kamu led an all-out assault in the final movements, more than providing clues of Beethoven’s future greatness in works like his Eroica Symphony.

In between the two mirror-imaged symphonies was Mozart’s relatively early Piano Concerto No.13 in C major with the supremely musical British pianist Steven Osborne (above). His was a limpid and idiomatic reading, which confluent with Mozart’s own prescription “flowed like oil” beneath its martial pretensions. He was also unafraid to exert himself when it mattered.

From arch simplicity in the slow movement to cheerful banter alternating with reflective melancholy in the finale, the contrasts he provided made the music come alive. Expect more delights when he next returns.

CD Reviews (The Straits Times, May 2011)

SCHUBERT Piano Duets
PAUL LEWIS & STEVEN OSBORNE, Piano
Hyperion 67665 / *****

Franz Schubert wrote a large volume of music for piano four hands, and for good reason too. Hausmusik, or domestic music making, was all the rage in Biedermayer Vienna and their publication represented a substantial source of income for the young little-known composer. Schubert was to die prematurely at the age of 31 before he received any widespread acclaim.

This anthology presents a delightful cross-section, including the greatest work of all – the Fantasy in F minor. This work alternates lilting reminiscence with martial pretensions, culminating in a double fugue. There are two sets of variations, the gentle Andantino Varie (from D.823) and the more extended Variations On An Original Theme (D.813), based on a rather banal march theme.

The balance comprise later works, a vigorous Allegro in A minor (D.947), given the dramatic title Storms Of Life posthumously by Schubert’s publisher Diabelli, and the mellow and surprisingly retiring Rondo in A major (D.951). Lewis and Osborne, two of Britain’s finest pianists, elicit perfect chemistry while alternating primo and secondo roles. Sequels to this marvellous collection are keenly anticipated.

KHACHATURIAN
EMI Classics 627890 2 (2 CDs)
****

Aram Khachaturian (1903-1978) was the conservative Armenian composer who found great favour among the Soviets, largely through his colourful scores which combined ethnic folk themes and Central Asian music with mild dissonances. Some popular melodies, such as the Adagio (from the ballet Spartacus) and Sabre Dance (Gayaneh) have been appropriated and adapted for the cinema. The ballet excerpts have a rhythmic vitality matched by an exoticism that is well captured by the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by the composer shortly before his death.

His equally engaging concertos also have a naïve appeal. David Oistrakh is the peerless soloist in a 1954 recording of the folksy Violin Concerto with The Philharmonic Orchestra. Do not be misled by the cover as Brazilian pianist Cristina Ortiz does not perform the Piano Concerto but a few short pieces. Instead one gets the Romanian Mindru Katz, whose otherwise lively and idiomatic take from 1957 is dogged by ragged sound. Like Socialist Realist art itself, there is something chic about wallowing in this quite enjoyable Cold War musical fare.

CD Reviews (The Straits Times, September 2010)

BEETHOVEN Piano Sonatas
STEVEN OSBORNE, Piano
Hyperion 67662

****1/2

Does the world need yet another Beethoven piano sonata recording? The simple answer: there are people who have yet to hear a note by the great German master. To this end, British pianist Steven Osborne gives a vividly energetic introduction to his popular “nicknamed” piano sonatas. Quasi una fantasia (Like a fantasy) is the description of the familiar “Moonlight” Sonata (Op.27 No.2). Rarely had any work breached convention to encompass wild extremes, ambling from quiet solace (the famous opening slow movement), through a charming country dance to untamed fury in the Presto Agitato finale.

Osborne spares the listener the “Appassionata”, opting instead for the “Pathetique” (Op.13) and “Waldstein” (Op.53) Sonatas, showing he is fully attuned to Beethoven’s idea of con brio. The finale of the latter reveals yet more steel and silk, the glissandi never sounding this smooth. The jocular little G major Sonata (Op.79) completes the picture. Beethoven’s ingenuity and multifarious genius has been more than well served.

SHARON BEZALY
plays BACRI, BERNSTEIN, DEAN & ROUSE
BIS 1799

****1/2

The highly mellifluous, liquid and nimble qualities of the flute make it eminently suited for lyrical and virtuosic showpieces, especially in contemporary music. This anthology of four concertante flute works is ample proof. The major work here is the 5-movement Flute Concerto by American Christopher Rouse (born 1949), a tribute to music cultures of the British Isles and a salve for the senseless killing of UK toddler James Bulger in 1993. The spirit of Irish and Scottish dances inhabit the faster movements, while a grand chorale and meditative slow finale provide closure for the violence that came before.

Leonard Bernstein’s Halil (Hebrew for “flute”) from 1981 is the best known piece, a nocturne with accompanying alto flute and piccolo parts, enlivened by Lenny’s typical penchant for colour and rhythm. Frenchman Nicolas Bacri’s engaging Flute Concerto (1999) and Australian Brett Dean’s The Siduri Dances complete this kaleidoscopic survey which sees young Israeli flautist Sharon Bezaly, partnered by four different orchestras, at her most eloquent and exuberant.

MOZART Symphonies No.39 & 40
Freiberg Baroque Orchestra
RENÉ JACOBS
Harmonia Mundi 901959
*****

Lovers of the big orchestral sound, awash with romantic gestures and fulsome vibrato, may look away now. More groups of the “authentic” persuasion and period instrument movement are dictating the way modern listeners perceive of the classical composers and their music. Is it a good or bad thing? Bands of Mozart and Haydn’s day were small and dynamic ensembles, a far cry from the sixty to eighty musicians of modern orchestras. The lack of vibrato is debatable, and the overall sound is that of leanness and lithe clarity, as opposed to opulence.

Hearing these recordings of familiar symphonies, Mozart’s spirit of invention and infectious humour are well served. Expositions and climaxes are never overstated, while dance movements come through with vivacity and grace. With repeats observed, the symphonies are heard in their entirety, never sounding repetitious nor ponderous. Try it, one might become hooked.

SSO Concert: Fantasies and Confessions / Review

FANTASIES AND CONFESSIONS
Singapore Symphony Orchestra
LIM YAU, Conductor
Esplanade Concert Hall
Saturday (28 February 2009)

This review was published in The Straits Times on 2 March 2009.

Drawing up concert programmes is a fine art. Just ask SSO Resident Conductor Lim Yau, who is a master at juxtaposing the familiar and the arcane, with often unexpected and euphonious success. His most concert paired up the British Isles with Russia, while moving from the sacred to the profane.

Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia On A Theme By Thomas Tallis showcased sumptuous strings, arranged in three blocs like soloists, semi-chorus and choirs in a cathedral. It generated an overwhelmingly lush and effulgent sound, one that enveloped the hall like some incense-laden mist – just the right setting for quiet devotion.

Any hope for reverie was sharply interrupted by Shostakovich’s madcap First Piano Concerto, lightly scored for strings and a major obbligato trumpet part. Here the Scottish tandem of pianist Steven Osborne (left) and SSO Principal Trumpeter Laurence Gargan played the part of twin comedians, who largely baited Beethoven and the classical form.

Osborne’s obvious virtuosity seemed like an understated one, swinging between mock placidity and derisive eruptions on the piano while maintaining a poker-faced façade throughout. This is a very valid look at the music, although one might crave a little for Argerich’s in-your-face kind of psychosis. Gargan (left) lapped up his moments gratefully, sounding as exuberant as usual.

It was a stroke of programming genius that followed Mussorgsky’s Night on Bald Mountain (the Rimsky-Korsakov version) with the Singapore premiere of Scottish composer James MacMillan’s The Confession of Isabel Gowdie, both works inspired by visions of the witches’ Sabbath and things that go bump in the night. The latter was first introduced in the 1990 BBC Proms and made the composer’s name (left) for good.

Opening with restrained brass and wind choirs, the gradual introduction of strings in the expansive unfolding narrative mirrored the earlier Vaughan Williams. Its descent to dark and ominous regions, with loud pulsating kinetic energy and fantastical imagery, was an exhilarating journey that approached the crushing impact of a first hearing of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring.

The sheer immediacy of the performance reaffirms the orchestra’s ability to learn and assimilate new music with ease. The final cathartic yell, a deafening crescendo followed by total silence was no less memorable.

After that stiff shot of whiskey, the sweetener of an encore – Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia On Greensleeves – seemed like an anti-climax. At least some people had to go home happy.

Footnote: Steven Osborne is married to SSO former Associate Principal clarinettist Jean Johnson (left). They had first met in 2003 when Osborne played Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue with the SSO, and guess who played Russ Gorman's famous opening clarinet solo? Jean was at the concert and recalled that it was 6 years to the day (28 February 2003) that their eyes first met!

CD Reviews (The Straits Times, February 2009)

BRITTEN Piano Concerto / Diversions
STEVEN OSBORNE, Piano
BBC Scottish Symphony / Ilan Volkov
Hyperion 67625 / Rating *****

Benjamin Britten’s works for solo piano and orchestra hail from his eclectic youth. Characterised by a vigour of one making his mark yet upholding well-worn traditions, this is very accessible music. The 4-movement Piano Concerto relives Prokofiev’s blend of lyricism and dissonance. Its revised 3rd movement, a passacaglia entitled Impromptu is its spiritual centre and best music, replacing a more diffuse Recitative and Aria, which has been helpfully included. Diversions (for piano left hand) was commissioned by Paul Wittgenstein (who inspired similar creations by Ravel and Prokofiev) and is a marvellously inventive set of variations, while the 7-minute-long Young Apollo is a brilliant fanfare with string accompaniment. Scottish pianist Steven Osborne is fully attuned to this vibrant idiom, and the luxuriant recorded sound supplants those of historic recordings with Sviatoslav Richter and Julius Katchen, conducted by the composer himself. No small feat.

HANS KRASA Brundibar
Northwest Boychoir
Music of Remembrance
GERARD SCHWARZ, Conductor
Naxos 8.570119 / *****

The music on this disc is a reminder lest we forget the evil than men do in the name of ideology or religion. The Czech composer Hans Krasa (1899-1944) was one of many Jewish artists who were murdered during the Second World War. His children’s opera Brundibar received 55 performances in Terezin, the sham “model” concentration camp the Germans built to fool the International Red Cross. Virtually all the performers in the original production died in Nazi gas chambers. The half-hour long opera centres around two children who attempt to buy milk for their ailing mother but are accosted by the villainous organ grinder Brundibar, whose moustache suggests a certain fascist dictator.

The music is highly melodic, simple and folk-like, with the light orchestration built around what instruments were available then. The revised English libretto by Tony Kushner is typically crafted for American audiences. The children and young adult performers in this production are excellent. This disc also includes Krasa’s jazzy Overture and Lori Laitman’s song cycle I Never Saw Another Butterfly for soprano and clarinet, based on children’s poetry from the Holocaust. All this makes for a poignant musical experience.

BRAHMS & JOACHIM Violin Concertos
CHRISTIAN TETZLAFF, Violin
Danish National Symphony Orchestra
THOMAS DAUSGAARD, Conductor
Virgin Classics 5021092 / Rating ****

This paring is a totally apt one as the Hungarian violin virtuoso Joseph Joachim (1831-1907) was one of Johannes Brahms’ closest friends, and for whom the latter’s great Violin Concerto (Op.77) was dedicated. To be completely honest, Joachim’s Concerto in the Hungarian Manner is not in the same class as the Brahms. Predating it by almost 18 years, it runs past the 40 minute mark without saying as much. Its idiom is conservative, in the same vein as Max Bruch’s creations, but makes up with its virtuosity and delicious Hungarian-styled finale. German violinist Christian Tetzlaff has the requisite technique to make the best case possible for the music. His Brahms is very good too, and if this combo piques your interest, go for it.

MUSIC FOR TWO PIANOS
MARTHA ARGERICH & FRIENDS
EMI Classics 2076232 (2 CDs)
Rating *****

For anyone who loves the piano’s sonorities and its orchestral possibilities, this budget-priced set is a no-brainer. One finds Argerich, the Amazon of the keyboard in inspired form partnering a host of talented younger colleagues. The first disc is an all-Russian affair; Rachmaninov’s coruscating Second Suite (with Gabriela Montero) is happily contrasted with his simpler Six Pieces for 4 hands (with Lilya Zilberstein) and Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite (with Mirabela Dina), transcribed by the late Nicolas Economou. Brahms dominates the second disc. The Sonata in F Minor (with Zilberstein again), better known in its piano quintet guise and the Haydn Variations (with Polina Leschchenko) sound almost as colourful on two pianos. The rarity is Rikuya Terashima’s arrangement of Prokofiev’s Classical Symphony, where Argerich and an equally driven Yefim Bronfman cook up a storm. One simply does not miss the orchestra here.