One Great Concerto
The SSO programmes the Rach 3 Piano Concerto almost every other season, if not purely for its artistic merit, then for the fact that it is a guaranteed draw. Proving the management spot on, we took the bait, hook, line and sinker and reserved our seats in the front stalls, prime vantage from which to bask in the keyboard gymnastics. For unforeseen circumstances, ryanfoster's indisposition excluded him from this excursion, and as such, this review is at his request.
No mention of this warhorse of the piano repertoire can avoid reference to that movie which brought it fame beyond pianophiles, and true enough, this observation was also highlighted in the programme notes. And in doing so, this reviewer has also erred on the side of caution, and went with status quo.
It would be pointless and self-defeating to compare performances of the work one has attended to date. Each pianist and each reading has its individual strengths contributing to a rich legacy in memory. It would be futile to rate and rank them on a broad and generalised criteria, perhaps virtuosity coming first and foremost to mind, but opinion is oh so subjective and accordingly divided. Thus, one shall not play into the trap but instead apply a prima facie approach, presenting matters of fact as such. What you hear is what you get?
The star of the hour was Venezuelan pianist Sergio Tiempo, who stepped up to the plate as soloist in the almost superhuman mental and physical demands of the music. Slight of stature , sweet of disposition and gentle of demeanour, Tiempo's physical appearance seemed at odds with the monumental task at hand. However, all doubt was put to rest when the refrain of the plainsong chant at the overture was soon joined by the soloist in the deceptively facile introductory passage before the notes came tumbling out in a torrent.
Tiempo's touch was mercurial to say the least. Featherweight in rippling arpeggios and cataclysmic in chords and octaves, the ears were treated to a feast for the senses as the disparity between dynamics and volume blew one's mind. What was most impressive was how he could at an instant pull out fistfuls of notes and music from the score without nary a hesitation. The split-second change in mood was palpable and the tension could have been cut with a knife.
Technique, temperament and taste are three essentials to make a good musician. Of these, Tiempo had in spades. What was most startling was how effortless he made it seem, with him even smiling along with the ebb and flow of the music and emerging at the end without breaking a sweat. That said, it looked and sounded effortless, but was anything but effortless. Twice, he emitted strange guttural grunts at the climax, causing not a few furrowed brows in the front stalls.
He deigned to give an encore, a ? Petrarch Sonnet dedicated to the Liszt centenary, during which he also got carried away and sang out ahead of his line. Do we have another Toscanini in the making?
But wait, what of the other great concerto of the evening? Well, one can't comment as it was the Bartok Concerto for Orchestra. We decided to skip the blah piece and go for dessert instead. I apologise if we're shallow like that. Now, if they'd programmed both the 2nd and 3rd Rachmaninoff piano concerti, the titled concert would have been perfect.
Posted via LjBeetle
No mention of this warhorse of the piano repertoire can avoid reference to that movie which brought it fame beyond pianophiles, and true enough, this observation was also highlighted in the programme notes. And in doing so, this reviewer has also erred on the side of caution, and went with status quo.
It would be pointless and self-defeating to compare performances of the work one has attended to date. Each pianist and each reading has its individual strengths contributing to a rich legacy in memory. It would be futile to rate and rank them on a broad and generalised criteria, perhaps virtuosity coming first and foremost to mind, but opinion is oh so subjective and accordingly divided. Thus, one shall not play into the trap but instead apply a prima facie approach, presenting matters of fact as such. What you hear is what you get?
The star of the hour was Venezuelan pianist Sergio Tiempo, who stepped up to the plate as soloist in the almost superhuman mental and physical demands of the music. Slight of stature , sweet of disposition and gentle of demeanour, Tiempo's physical appearance seemed at odds with the monumental task at hand. However, all doubt was put to rest when the refrain of the plainsong chant at the overture was soon joined by the soloist in the deceptively facile introductory passage before the notes came tumbling out in a torrent.
Tiempo's touch was mercurial to say the least. Featherweight in rippling arpeggios and cataclysmic in chords and octaves, the ears were treated to a feast for the senses as the disparity between dynamics and volume blew one's mind. What was most impressive was how he could at an instant pull out fistfuls of notes and music from the score without nary a hesitation. The split-second change in mood was palpable and the tension could have been cut with a knife.
Technique, temperament and taste are three essentials to make a good musician. Of these, Tiempo had in spades. What was most startling was how effortless he made it seem, with him even smiling along with the ebb and flow of the music and emerging at the end without breaking a sweat. That said, it looked and sounded effortless, but was anything but effortless. Twice, he emitted strange guttural grunts at the climax, causing not a few furrowed brows in the front stalls.
He deigned to give an encore, a ? Petrarch Sonnet dedicated to the Liszt centenary, during which he also got carried away and sang out ahead of his line. Do we have another Toscanini in the making?
But wait, what of the other great concerto of the evening? Well, one can't comment as it was the Bartok Concerto for Orchestra. We decided to skip the blah piece and go for dessert instead. I apologise if we're shallow like that. Now, if they'd programmed both the 2nd and 3rd Rachmaninoff piano concerti, the titled concert would have been perfect.
Posted via LjBeetle