Prelude to Act One and Good Friday Music from 'Parsifal' (Wagner)
Piano Concerto (Schumann)
Encore: Second movement from Nocturne op. 9 (Chopin)
Symphony No. 5 'Reformation' (Mendelssohn)
Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
David Fray (Piano solo)
Constantin Trinks (Conductor)
In this survey of three iconic German composers from the romantic period, the selected works all distinctively have a progressive contemporary outlook but also referencing music around or before their time. Both Mendelssohn and Wagner include the 'Dresden Amen' as a musical expression of faith. The Reformation Symphony takes a dramatic approach on romantic ideology, which expands from solemnity and darkness to a confident triumph. In Parsifal, redemption is the ultimate goal through thematic examinations of the grail, holy rituals and resisting temptation. Leitmotifs give a music illustration of the symbolism and underlying ideologies. Despite Schumann's piano concerto not religious in nature, many lyrical themes are hymn like. It is also quirky in style and rather invert looking in compare to other piano concertos of its time, which often focus on technical showcase with big gestures.
The challenge in performing the prelude from Parsifal is how to keep the music in shape at slow tempo and without losing the direction. Constantin Trinks employed a broad tempo but well paced and never drag. The orchestral playing was noble and majesty by producing a transparent texture. A pure and clean effect with the desire projection from the trumpet solo. Quality woodwinds playing by making a beautiful tone and sensitive to dynamic changes. The produce sound had a level of depth and magnificent playing from the brass on the grail theme. Though the orchestra lost the focus in the more fluid flowing Good Friday Music. It still maintained a beautiful sound but lacked certainty in phrasing and shapes. The score arrangement was also not helpful with a lean texture, and the absence of vocal line did not give an idea where the music was heading but only recurring themes. Horns fell short from matching the radiant tone produced by their colleagues and some shaky tuning. Only at the redemption theme direction regained with the woodwinds' dialogues being sweet and tender. The music spoke for itself with its beauty and emotions.
David Fray's playing was gentle and polish in Schumann's Piano Concerto, but the impression lacked a character and the employed dynamics often too soft for the acoustics. One hardly could distinguish the left hand part and the produced sound lacked presence. Despite one could sense the momentum flows, strangely it far from providing a clear navigation. One could argue that the composer emphasized on beauty and adopted an introvert solo part for his wife Clara's premiere back then, thus, a lighter weight on the keyboard touch. Though I felt the soloist should still be prominent to an extent so the texture could be heard clearly and phrased the music more. Despite a minor coordination issue in the third movement noticed by my friend, the orchestra accompaniment was more spirited and gave more bites in their playing to generate the rhythmic impulse. The phrasing created more shapes and contrast to keep the listener interested. Cellos were hearty and passionate in the expressive theme of second movement. Both the first and third movement the orchestral playing was more effective in bringing out the emotions. Only the virtuosic coda of the third movement that the pianist caught my attention for the technical showcase in display.
Constaintin Trinks continued the good work with the orchestra and rarely a rendition of Mendelssohn's Reformation Symphony so brilliantly and exciting. Brass made a confident opening of the first movement but woodwinds' transition was mysterious and uncertain. The strings driven tutti then gave a dramatic ebb and flow of the fiery and tempestuous passage. It was highly responsive to the conductor's indication for accelerando and captured the wildness vividly, before a smooth return to the solemn recapitulation. The second movement has some reference to Beethoven's symphonies but also the fairy's dance from incidental music to Midsummer's Night Dream. Trinks had successfully drawn the orchestral playing to dance with the music. Strong rhythmical momentum and the sheer contrast in dynamics sustained the intensity. Expressive playing from the strings at the third movement to pour out the emotions even the music was dark and serious. Trinks appropriately took a rather brisk tempo in the last movement to keep the music flowing with energy. Beautiful woodwinds' playing of the chorale theme with the brass and lower strings. The band also delivered a muscular body of sound but not too dense. The dance passage was majesty and confident with a strong direction. Sectional dialogues at the fugue was articulated clearly with a good crescendo up to the triumphant ending. It would have been a perfect conclusion if the trumpet did not slip on tuning at the final climax.
Piano Concerto (Schumann)
Encore: Second movement from Nocturne op. 9 (Chopin)
Symphony No. 5 'Reformation' (Mendelssohn)
Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
David Fray (Piano solo)
Constantin Trinks (Conductor)
In this survey of three iconic German composers from the romantic period, the selected works all distinctively have a progressive contemporary outlook but also referencing music around or before their time. Both Mendelssohn and Wagner include the 'Dresden Amen' as a musical expression of faith. The Reformation Symphony takes a dramatic approach on romantic ideology, which expands from solemnity and darkness to a confident triumph. In Parsifal, redemption is the ultimate goal through thematic examinations of the grail, holy rituals and resisting temptation. Leitmotifs give a music illustration of the symbolism and underlying ideologies. Despite Schumann's piano concerto not religious in nature, many lyrical themes are hymn like. It is also quirky in style and rather invert looking in compare to other piano concertos of its time, which often focus on technical showcase with big gestures.
The challenge in performing the prelude from Parsifal is how to keep the music in shape at slow tempo and without losing the direction. Constantin Trinks employed a broad tempo but well paced and never drag. The orchestral playing was noble and majesty by producing a transparent texture. A pure and clean effect with the desire projection from the trumpet solo. Quality woodwinds playing by making a beautiful tone and sensitive to dynamic changes. The produce sound had a level of depth and magnificent playing from the brass on the grail theme. Though the orchestra lost the focus in the more fluid flowing Good Friday Music. It still maintained a beautiful sound but lacked certainty in phrasing and shapes. The score arrangement was also not helpful with a lean texture, and the absence of vocal line did not give an idea where the music was heading but only recurring themes. Horns fell short from matching the radiant tone produced by their colleagues and some shaky tuning. Only at the redemption theme direction regained with the woodwinds' dialogues being sweet and tender. The music spoke for itself with its beauty and emotions.
David Fray's playing was gentle and polish in Schumann's Piano Concerto, but the impression lacked a character and the employed dynamics often too soft for the acoustics. One hardly could distinguish the left hand part and the produced sound lacked presence. Despite one could sense the momentum flows, strangely it far from providing a clear navigation. One could argue that the composer emphasized on beauty and adopted an introvert solo part for his wife Clara's premiere back then, thus, a lighter weight on the keyboard touch. Though I felt the soloist should still be prominent to an extent so the texture could be heard clearly and phrased the music more. Despite a minor coordination issue in the third movement noticed by my friend, the orchestra accompaniment was more spirited and gave more bites in their playing to generate the rhythmic impulse. The phrasing created more shapes and contrast to keep the listener interested. Cellos were hearty and passionate in the expressive theme of second movement. Both the first and third movement the orchestral playing was more effective in bringing out the emotions. Only the virtuosic coda of the third movement that the pianist caught my attention for the technical showcase in display.
Constaintin Trinks continued the good work with the orchestra and rarely a rendition of Mendelssohn's Reformation Symphony so brilliantly and exciting. Brass made a confident opening of the first movement but woodwinds' transition was mysterious and uncertain. The strings driven tutti then gave a dramatic ebb and flow of the fiery and tempestuous passage. It was highly responsive to the conductor's indication for accelerando and captured the wildness vividly, before a smooth return to the solemn recapitulation. The second movement has some reference to Beethoven's symphonies but also the fairy's dance from incidental music to Midsummer's Night Dream. Trinks had successfully drawn the orchestral playing to dance with the music. Strong rhythmical momentum and the sheer contrast in dynamics sustained the intensity. Expressive playing from the strings at the third movement to pour out the emotions even the music was dark and serious. Trinks appropriately took a rather brisk tempo in the last movement to keep the music flowing with energy. Beautiful woodwinds' playing of the chorale theme with the brass and lower strings. The band also delivered a muscular body of sound but not too dense. The dance passage was majesty and confident with a strong direction. Sectional dialogues at the fugue was articulated clearly with a good crescendo up to the triumphant ending. It would have been a perfect conclusion if the trumpet did not slip on tuning at the final climax.
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