Fauré: Sonata No. 1 in A, Op. 13
Brahms: Scherzo in C Minor, WoO 2
Brahms: Sonata No. 3 in D Minor, Op. 108
Fauré: Berceuse, Op.16 (encore)
Debussy: ‘La fille aux cheveux de lin’ from Préludes (transcribed; encore)
Kevin Kenner (Piano)
Kyung Wha Chung (Violin)
Kyung Wha Chung made her long-awaited return to Hong Kong at age sixty-nine with pianist Kevin Kenner after her last recital here four years ago. As a child prodigy who entered the international hall of fame at the age of nineteen and very soon stepped in for Itzhak Perlman to play Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto with André Previn and the LSO, the South Korean star quickly gained renown as one of the foremost violinists of her generation and is primarily known for her highly sensitive and stylistic playing. Her career was however abruptly stalled by an accident in 2005 and it was said that she could only spend the next 10 years practising the violin in her head. The ambitious concert on Sunday therefore truly marked the return of a giant.
Traces of her former glory could still be found in her expressive rendition of the three most intimate sonatas for the violin. The Debussy sonata is an artistically challenging piece calling for an impressionist understanding of the often times ambiguous and highly nuanced musical language. Chung’s interpretation was graced with beautiful phrasing and a strong tone, although occasionally erring on the side of conservatism as some dynamic extremes were left unexplored. Her 1988 recording with Radu Lupu was probably superior in terms of the general clarity and cleanness of left hand passageworks.
The Fauré sonata was generally well-played, with a well-controlled sense of urgency in the first movement, an introspective and melancholic shade in the second, a vivid and youthful touch in the third, and unapologetically romantic ardour in the last. Her fluid playing was skilfully matched by the sense of freedom in Kenner’s piano accompaniment, never at any point losing any connection or coherence. That said, the major critique of the performance is that, in addition to occasionally unfocussed intonation, Chung’s often aggressive right-hand techniques such as bow slamming and accented retakes detracted much from the smooth and salonish quality of the sonata. Artistically speaking, the lilting theme of the barcarolle-like Andante was handled too plainly, and the general abstinence of portamento reduced much of the tension which could otherwise have been brought out in the broad syncopations. The tempo of the finale was also a bit rushed, and its passionate lyricism was stifled by a rather coarse tone and an uneven register whenever higher positions on lower strings were used. Chung’s habit of swelling excessively on notes also reduced the charm of the long cantilenas most beautifully written for the first movement.
Boisterous and stormy as they are, the Brahms Scherzo and the D minor sonata seem to be Chung’s strongest suit in the concert. Despite tiny lapses of intonation, she played with unflagging verve and incisive rhythmic precision throughout, overwhelming the audience (appropriately) with the agitating and heavy texture of the work. At the same time, lighter and more exquisite passages were handled with much sensitivity, especially the second movement of the sonata.
In stark contrast to the disquiet of Brahms, the two encores by Fauré and Debussy, both performed with a mute, provided some welcome respite for the audience. Each carrying a mesmerising appeal, they may perhaps be seen as a summary of Chung’s most personal and nostalgic reflections on the past fifty years of her career. In these two simple encores, one catches a glimpse of Chung’s true mastery and her delicately warm voice which distinguishes her from all other violinists of her time. Without a doubt her next recital will be eagerly awaited by many.
The Fauré sonata was generally well-played, with a well-controlled sense of urgency in the first movement, an introspective and melancholic shade in the second, a vivid and youthful touch in the third, and unapologetically romantic ardour in the last. Her fluid playing was skilfully matched by the sense of freedom in Kenner’s piano accompaniment, never at any point losing any connection or coherence. That said, the major critique of the performance is that, in addition to occasionally unfocussed intonation, Chung’s often aggressive right-hand techniques such as bow slamming and accented retakes detracted much from the smooth and salonish quality of the sonata. Artistically speaking, the lilting theme of the barcarolle-like Andante was handled too plainly, and the general abstinence of portamento reduced much of the tension which could otherwise have been brought out in the broad syncopations. The tempo of the finale was also a bit rushed, and its passionate lyricism was stifled by a rather coarse tone and an uneven register whenever higher positions on lower strings were used. Chung’s habit of swelling excessively on notes also reduced the charm of the long cantilenas most beautifully written for the first movement.
Boisterous and stormy as they are, the Brahms Scherzo and the D minor sonata seem to be Chung’s strongest suit in the concert. Despite tiny lapses of intonation, she played with unflagging verve and incisive rhythmic precision throughout, overwhelming the audience (appropriately) with the agitating and heavy texture of the work. At the same time, lighter and more exquisite passages were handled with much sensitivity, especially the second movement of the sonata.
In stark contrast to the disquiet of Brahms, the two encores by Fauré and Debussy, both performed with a mute, provided some welcome respite for the audience. Each carrying a mesmerising appeal, they may perhaps be seen as a summary of Chung’s most personal and nostalgic reflections on the past fifty years of her career. In these two simple encores, one catches a glimpse of Chung’s true mastery and her delicately warm voice which distinguishes her from all other violinists of her time. Without a doubt her next recital will be eagerly awaited by many.
(Photo credits: Instagram and Facebook)
