MiV Home
University Centre Auditorium
February 13, 2011
Whenever I see the name Mozart in a concert programme my heart sinks.
Not, I hasten to add, because I consider him anything less than one of the greatest composers in history, but because his music - even juvenilia which he would probably be astonished to realise that anyone remembered, much less still performed - is played so frequently and so frequently in less-than-stellar performances by people who seem to buy in to the myth that Mozart's music is "pretty" - and, by extension, uncontroversial, almost "easy listening".
Neither am I suggesting that only Mozart's profoundest masterpieces should be performed: what I am suggesting is that a sense of proportion is essential: one should not play Eine kleine Nachtmusik as if it were "deep, wide and meaningful", nor should we expect the latest 10-year-old wunderkind pianist to plumb the depths of the D minor piano concerto.
Fortunately, Sunday's performance of the Sinfonia Concertante,K.297b - a work which, after some doubt, is now considered authentic, albeit with probably corrupt solo parts - had nothing of the routine or superficial about it whatsoever.
The solo quartet of Adam Weinman, Rebecca Hissen, Alana Roney and Olivia Martin, all returning GVYO alumni, displayed a wonderful rapport and tight ensemble, while making their music (whether corrupt or not) sparkle.
From the light, airy textures of the opening tutti Yariv Aloni and his players provided ideal support, never becoming obtrusive and, thanks to Aloni's attentiveness, following the soloists' rubato as if to the manner born.
The adagio - despite a suspicion of weakness in the writing for the solo instruments - was beautifully played by all and a charming interlude between the quicker movements.
The finale was taken at a somewhat deliberate tempo, but there was no lack of spring in its step and there was some deliciously ebullient playing from the solo quartet.
Mediocre Mozart is anathema to me, but this was its polar opposite: Magical Mozart.
Catfish Row is the orchestral suite George Gershwin made from his opera Porgy and Bess; for some mystery reason it seems to be rarely programmed.
Aloni and his players did nothing to help resolve the mystery, but they did close Sunday's programme with a superb account of this highly melodic music.
The busy opening of the work is far from easy and brought the only moment in the afternoon when ensemble was anything less than first-rate. There was, however, life and energy aplenty in the playing and the problems lasted rather less time than it took to type this sentence.
The culmination of the movement is "Summertime", one of the defining melodies of the twentieth century, superbly played by concertmaster Tyson Doknjas.
"Porgy Sings", the second movement, featured a wonderful banjo rendition of "I got plenty o' nutting" (Alex Jang, another returning alumnus), some marvellously lush string playing and a fine cello cadenza by Charles Cayer.
The fugue which follows is probably the most difficult music of the suite and was excitingly played with a certain, entirely appropriate brashness.
The fourth movement hurricane was dramatic and exciting and the finale, "Good morning, sistuh!" really swung.
All in all this was an adventurous and highly successful piece of programming.
The afternoon opened with a fine performance of Rimsky-Korsakov's Overture on Russian Themes. The very first chord, full-bodied and confident, gave notice that this incarnation of the orchestra is every bit as fine as its predecessors. Aloni excellently conveyed the light and shade in the music and controlled the dynamics to great effect.
The only disconcerting aspect of the music was the fact that one of the themes Rimsky employed was also used - and is indeeed rather better-known in this guise - by Tchaikovsky.
It is not easy, while listening to one piece of music, to hear mentally another and so it took me a little while to recall that the theme in question was not used in one of Tchaikovsky's symphonies but in - gulp! - the 1812. (I'm not sure whether to be ashamed or proud that it took me so long to get - I think I'll settle for the latter.)
A most enjoyable afternoon and further evidence that the GVYO is in good hands.
MiV Home