Review - The Choir of Trinity College (Cambridge), Stephen Layton, Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall (11 July 2016) / Hong Kong City Hall (12 July 2016)

11 July 2016

Bogoróditse Djévo (Pärt)

O Lord, make thy servant (Byrd)

Salvator mundi (Tallis)

Remember not, Lord, our offences (Purcell)

O sacrum convivium (Stucky)

The Heavens' Flock (Ešenvalds)

Evening Hymn (Rautavaara)

Ekteniya of the Litany (Rautavaara)

The Wings of the Wing (Park)

Give unto the Lord (Elgar)

Hymn of Ancient Lands (Twist)

Mass (Martin)

Te Deum 'Collegium Regale' (Howells)

Encore: It don’t mean a thing (if it ain’t got that swing) (Ellington arr. Parry)

12 July 2016
Sumer is icumen in (Anon)
Now is the month of Maying (Morley)
The silver swan (Gibbons)
Pastime with good company (Henry VIII arr. Shaw)
Hark all ye lovely saints (Weelkes)
Draw on, sweet night (Wilbye)
Irish folk tune from County Derry (arr. Grainger)
Australian up country song (arr. Grainger)
What shall we do with the drunken sailor (Traditional arr. Rathbone)
Joshua fought the battle of Jericho (Spiritual arr. Rathbone)
Way over in Beulah-lan’ (Spiritual arr. Jennings)
Ain’t that a kick in the head? (Heusen arr. Park)
Long ago (and far away) (Kern arr. Naylor)
Cheek to cheek (Berlin arr. Naylor)
Once upon a dream (Shaw)
Teddy bears’ picnic (Bratton arr. Roberts)
Michelle (Lennon and McCartney arr. Gritton)
Silence is golden (Crewe & Gaudio arr. Park)
It don’t mean a thing (if it ain’t got that swing) (Ellington arr. Parry)
My funny valentine (Rogers arr. Park)
All the things you are (Kern arr. Rice)
The carnival is over (Springfield arr. Bussey)
Spiderman (Harris arr. Friedman)

The Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge

Stephen Layton (Conductor)

The city finally had one of the world's finest choirs to grace the stage with two distinctive programmes on consecutive evenings. The Trinity choir lived up to the reputation and made a bold start by singing from memory in the first performance, considering all these challenging repertoire in different languages and without conductor during the first four pieces. Despite a rather vertical reading of Bogoróditse Djévo and needed to sustain the line longer, intonation and vowels uniformity were impeccable throughout rest of the performance. Even at the quietest moment in Howells Te Deum, one could hear every word clearly and the music rang throughout the hall. My friend accurately commented it was also a display of ensembleship of strong responsiveness to phrasing, vocalisation and tone quality. Clarity in diction and rhythmic precision were demonstrated brilliantly in Stucky's O scarum convivium and Park's The Wings of the Wind.

The choir also did justice to Frank Martin's Mass that being sung accurately and beautifully phrased. The music itself was dramatic, sometimes surreal and even enigmatic to reflect the mood of the text. Gloria was more inward looking and not always straight forward in music language, even so, the interpretation was convincing and attracted by the sound landscape. Credo was most confidently sung, focused and sustained. It was thrilling to experience the fanfare like passage of 'Et resurrexit', and the climatic build up towards the end that at forte brought out the best of the voice. A strong sense of direction and momentum in the repetitive patterned of 'hosanna in excelsis' for the ultimate fortissimo round of in Benedictus. Agnus Dei was more dreamy alike gentle waves hitting a boat, and being the only movement with an addition of four soloists. Sopranos' intonation were not that secure in the Kyrie and only rectified as the body of sound gradually built up.

I could not agree more when Stephen Layton commented the hall acoustic being dry, judging from where I sat in the balcony. Works by Rautavaara and Ešenvalds would need a more vibrating space with few seconds of echo to allow singers sustain the line longer, also to create a richer sound. Local cathedral churches would probably be a better venue and also atmospheric. The cultural centre pipe organ sounded more convincing in Howells Te Deum than Elgar's Give unto the Lord, whether to do with the stops registration or the music colour more suited to that instrument than the other. The latter also needed a bigger impact in vocal projection and energy in voice so to convey the emotion and drama of the text. Twist's Hymn of Ancient Lands could be a spellbinding piece if the alto soloist was more secured in her singing, who seems not in the best vocal condition, and the choral singing needed a bit more urgency for direction.

Rarely would I regard a concert being highly 'entertaining' but the second performance was definitely one of the most enjoyable choral experience. Arrangements of madrigals, blues, jazz and pops marked a light affair in contrast to the intellectual evening before, but still sophisticated and intelligently executed. The city hall concert hall acoustics was also more ideal and allowed the choir with space flexibility to indulge the singing a bit more. English madrigals up to the early 17th century showcased how technically superb the choir could be. 'Sumer is icumen in' made a bold opening to display richness of the voice, followed by the whispering like 'Now is the month of Maying' with dynamic contrast, crystal clear diction and wonderful sense of phrasing. The choir switched to an interesting accent to imitate the way of saying old English in 'Pastime with good company' effectively. Though 'Draw on, sweet night' was slightly steady in tempo as a matter of taste and did not always produce the intimate atmosphere. I was moved by Percy Grainger's arrangement of Londonderry air, one of my favourite tunes, and it was sung beautifully. A display of group communication and ensembleship again in 'Hark all ye lovely saints' and 'What shall we do with the drunken sailor', which produced the dynamic differentiation and wonderfully conveyed the drama of the text.

Nothing could hold back the emotion and vocal impact in 'Joshua fought the battle of Jericho' and 'Way over in Beulah-lah'. The music did swung in the big band music like 'Ain't that a kick in the head?' and danced excitedly in 'Cheek to Cheek'. The lush scoring 'Long ago and far away' and 'Silence is golden' were enchanting, but not quite so in 'Once upon a dream' and 'Michelle', which the music quality and arrangements seems not as convincing like the rest. The humorous named 'Teddy bears' picnic' and 'Spiderman' put smiles on the face by the interesting content and the singing able to produce the visual impression. The swing music in 'It don't mean a thing' was more effectively demonstrated as encore on the first night but slightly rigid in the second. 'My funny valentine' showcased solos from members of the choir but they could have indulged the music more for a better expression. The mood of the text in 'All the things you are' were wonderfully captured, and highly responsive to the textual contrast from long vocal lines to energetic rhythmical pulse. 'The carnival is over' reminded a sweet nostalgic favourite and the soloist had all the right timbre and accent. To see Stephen Layton dancing along the music while conducting on the podium, I am convinced that a future album should be made to remind us what a fantastic choral experience the past two evenings had been. 

Review - Vladimir Ashkenazy, Behzod Abduraimov, Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall, 2 July 2016

Piano Concerto No. 3 (Prokofiev)
Encore: Nocturne in d minor (Tchaikovsky)
Symphony No. 1 (Elgar)

Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
Behzod Abduraimov (Pianist)
Vladimir Ashkenazy (Conductor)

The programmed works in this last concert of current season reminded me the performing experience with the university symphony orchestra few years ago. I remembered the Prokofiev being technically demanding for the pianist, also a clever exchange between wit, sarcasm and the occasional romanticism outpour.  The Elgar had a noble and beautiful theme, but textually thick and time signatures changed a lot particularly in first movement. The conductor is supposedly to know how to shape the music and make it interesting for the ears to avoid an intellectual rendition. I am not sure if this was the case with Ashkenazy directing from the podium. One admire and respect him as an acclaimed pianist, also his good personality to fellow musicians, but his conducting skills were not inspiring in all three performances I had encountered so far.

The clarinet solo played beautiful to begin the piano concerto, but mechanical conducting resulted in vertical reading of the score. The orchestral playing lacked interrelation and legato that being square in shape without direction. Thankfully, Abduraimov's playing was enchanting in the dissonant and mysterious bell like passage of the second theme. The eccentric and sarcastic impressions were well captured towards the crescendo climax. Though the melancholy gavotte in the beginning of second movement again lacked shape and felt more like a slow march than dance. The orchestral playing fell short from creating a structure in the ironic second variation and lacked differentiation in dynamics. Abduraimov again turned the disappointment away and delivered spellbinding playing in the haunting fourth variation. Tempo was well paced and produced a dreamlike atmosphere. He managed the contrast in dynamics, and responded to the mood change at the dramatic return of the violent fifth variation.

Tempo in the beginning of third movement was a bit steady that would need more anticipation. The coordination in the lyric passage between orchestra and soloist were accurate and together but slightly restrain emotionally. Though by the climatic point the orchestra began to drag the tempo too much. Ashkenazy's conducting did not indicate the phrasing by only showing the beat and pointing the baton upward, which was confusing for the orchestra to follow. The coda was a showcase for Abduraimov brilliant technique, but the conductor began the reinstatement of the main theme too slow and luckily the orchestra was quick enough to pick up right tempo.

Here the noble and majesty opening theme of Elgar first symphony felt like a very slow walk in tempo, and the double basses being too prominent in volume that failed to produce the tranquillo impression. Soon at the violent passage one could sense the orchestra playing was on its own will than following the conductor. Gradually the momentum and directions lost in the tricky time signature changing sections. Sections failed to connect and lacked a clear structure. Tempo was a bit broad for muscular stormy theme despite confident brass playing and some attempt to phrase the music. The conclusion slightly improved with more dynamic contrast and lighter body of sound.

Second movement was more dramatic with the urgency to capture the violent and disturbed atmosphere. A promising start of the strings only third movement that the music flowed but eventually lost the focus. The adapted tempo again dragged and the lyrical themes need more connection than a vertical reading. The enigmatic outlook was compensated by beautiful playing from the strings in tone quality and control. The lento opening of the fourth movement was too slow that became an examination of chord progression without direction. Momentum only picked up again at double time but again lacked dynamic contrast. Brass playing was a bit polite and needed the bite to drive the music forward. Tempos at the return of the noble theme and triumphant conclusion would need more urgency than merely a muscular sound. It did not help when Ashkenazy seems following the orchestra, and struggled with his conducting gestures instead of indicating ahead. Not a resounding finale to mark the season end.

Review - Bach and beyond, Case Scaglione, Caroline Goulding, Colleen Lee, Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, 25 June 2016

Poème symphonique (Ligeti)
Concerto No. 5 in f minor, BWV 1056 (Bach)
Fratre (Pärt)
Chaconne in g minor (Purcell)
Violin Concerto (Ligeti)
Ricercar from Music Offering (Bach, arr. Webern)

Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra

Colleen Lee (Pianist)

Caroline Goulding (Violinist)

Case Scaglione (Conductor)

My recent concert going experience had been dominated by late romantic repertoire, and this interesting programme made a welcoming change, particularly my first encounter of Ligeti's Violin Concerto. Before the actual concert, one hundred metronomes were assembled at the foyer to perform Poème symphonique by Ligeti. The ticking sound was the focus but spectators' reactions added another layer of audio and visual experience. Inevitably everyone performed the digital ritual with their smartphones to take photos or make video recording of the spectacle. Then all eyes and ears eagerly awaited which metronome would last the longest. The speculation became like a sporting competition with yelling and cheering when the result was revealed. Probably not the composer would have in mind, but the atmosphere and provoked reaction gave the mechanical performance a human touch and fascination.

I felt the concert programme itself was not an emphasis on comparing tonal and atonal music, but demonstrating how contemporary progressiveness took one step more on Baroque format to extend the sound boundary. Perhaps that was why the performing style of Bach and Purcell in this concert did not adopt the historically informed practice, which would have focused more on strong articulation, the dancing rhythmic motion and ornamentation. Instead Scaglione relax and precise conducting style generated a silky and transparent texture from the ensemble playing. Steady in tempo but not broad neither sluggish and still in shape. Colleen Lee produced exquisite playing in the more sedate second movement of Bach's fifth keyboard concerto with the right touch and a sense of naturalism. Though the hall acoustics felt slightly too big for such intimate chamber piece even from where I sat towards the front of the balcony.

In following, harmonic cleverly structured Fratre by Arvo Pärt was given a more vertical and objective reading. Not sure if the strings were on purpose to be choppy with the bowing but felt it needed more legato. The hymn like theme at the interval of a tenth would need to sing more than being rigid. As the music developed the emotion and thicker in texture, then only the ensemble began to move in direction with phrasing and contrast in dynamics with more bow hairs on strings. Same happened in the Purcell that the strings' playing were rather sluggish even the conductor indicated the phrasing, despite responsive to the dynamic contrast. The dotted rhythmic was not too exaggeratedly articulate to maintain the smooth and silky impression.

It was not difficult to detect a lot of efforts and coordinations had been inputted to prepare this superlative execution of Ligeti's violin concerto. The expanded orchestra with a large percussion section, curious instruments including alto flute and ocarina, and solo strings tuned to different pitches made an audio feast for the unique sound effects and music colour, as well as visual. More importantly, the orchestra finally had the road map in mind, knowing the corners and delivered confident playing. Caroline Goulding gave a fearless account by pulling out special effects on the solo violin and hold nothing back, particularly in the fiery and dramatic cadenza of last movement with dissonant double stopping and gradually returned to glissando in its simplest form.

Those not necessary into the experimental landscape of Ligeti would be surprised by Webern's clever arrangement of Bach's Ricercar. The tonal colour and body of sound might be familiar but themes were connection only than a dominant feature. The augmented full orchestra was a sight but the produced sound did not reflect the size. The melodic focus is not the attraction, but cloudy timbre and lean texture instead. The randomness of motives were not totally aimless and created a curiosity of the colour. Like Ligeti, both pieces referenced a recogisable theme including folk tunes, but being intelligently presented in different forms, or even became a response in parallel to the dissonant subject. After all, I enjoyed the intellectual deception and the adventure into an unfamiliar sound world. More please in future concert seasons!

The performance of Poème symphonique

Review - Karen Gomyo, Jaap van Zweden, Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall, 17 June 2016

Overture from 'La Gazza Ladra' (Rossini)
Violin Concerto No. 1 (Bruch)
Solemn Night Music/ Feierliche Abendmusik (Borstlap)
Pines of Rome (Respighi)

Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
Karen Gomyo (Violinist)
Jaap van Zweden (Conductor)

This concert started and ended with Italian festivity in fullness. The Bruch violin concerto made a sentimental contrast, but Borstlap's orchestral attempt in neoclassicism seems far from making a distinctive impression. The orchestra gave a full bodied opening in the thieving magpie overture. Symphonic in texture but not too muscular and the music still danced. The 'Rossini crescendo' were carefully paced and had many thrilling climatic moments.

Highlights of Karen Gomyo's violin playing were the exquisite tone, tenderness, elegance and smoothness in fingers position changing. Generally a steady tempo throughout which allowed double stopping to be precise and unhurried in arpeggio climbs. Though some bowing could be abrupt and not always sustaining the legato. The first and second movement fared better than the last when tiredness sank in. Tempo was then slightly sluggish but still maintained a good sense in phrasing. The lyrical passage was sweet in tone and elegantly played. Surprisingly intonation on the higher finger positions more accurate than the lower first position. The produced sound also rang more with brightness and colour differentiation. Same happened in the Bach's Chaconne during encore that being appropriate in performing style and phrasing, but not always accurate with tuning at lower positions. The orchestral accompaniment was smooth and in good coordination with the soloist. Warm and confident playing from the woodwind in the beginning of the first movement. Vibrato was not overdone on the tutti strings.

Second half of the concert musically and programme wise made an unfinished impression. John Borstlap's new work was alike deconstructing a late 19th century symphonic work without the theme or tune, except some occasional reference to themes from other composers like Elgar. Whether it was Jaap not able to draw the orchestra's attention locating the melodic line, or the piece intended to be a demonstration of inner part, I felt it was generally dull in texture and dramatically underwhelming. The conclusion sounded cheesy that in hurry to finish off with anything sweet.

Thus, the underwhelming experience prompted me to prefer the whole set of Respighi's 'Roman Triptych' being present than just Pines of Rome. It seems unnecessarily wasteful to augment the orchestra with a large brass section plus organ and piano for a mere twenty minutes rendition. Vibrant music colour and atmospheric contrast would be more interesting for the ears and music curiosity, as demonstrated by the festive and lively first movement in Pines of Rome. Orchestra winds' playing were glorious and highly spirited for an uplifting start. The mysterious and timeless atmosphere of catacomb were vividly captured by the lower strings at the beginning of second movement. One could see the flashback to a glorious past of an empire when later the trumpet gave an emotional solo passage, followed by the orchestra playing the 'roman' march with a patriotic flair before the music died away again. The colourful solo from the clarinet would be enchanting if the phrasing was more natural and smooth in the third movement. Beautiful playing from the strings at the lyrical passage, with harmonic reference to nostalgic blues but stayed romantic in melodies. The stillness in air of a clear evening was sensibly produced. The cor anglais solo could indulge more on rubato in the seductive introduction of last movement. The sheer impact of the glorious and triumphant conclusion would have been effective if Jaap took a bit more time in pacing the momentum, so to accumulate the energy and making the volume contrast towards the climatic peak. Otherwise, it was a thrilling end.