Review - Geneva Camerata & Viktoria Mullova, The University of Hong Kong, 14 June 2018

Fireworks (Debussy, arr. Keren)
Violin Concerto in e minor (Mendelssohn)

Variations on themes from Porgy and Bess (Gershwin, arr. Keren)
Symphony No. 8 (Beethoven)

Geneva Camerata
Viktoria Mullova (violin)
David Greilsammer (conductor)

Despite energetic playing and displays of chamber virtuosity marked the debut of Geneva Camerata in Hong Kong, there was a noticeable balance problem between strings and winds. The tone colour of middle and lower part were rich, but the upper felt relatively thin on top. More upper strings would be desirable in the Debussy to be more able bringing out the theme and counter the weight. It was better in the Beethoven with the full team of violins, yet a silky tone would be more effective to penetrate the thick texture than a raw sound. The employment of period horns and trumpets certainly helped with the balance, yet rest of the woodwind remained in modern gears was sometimes overpowering for the current formation.

Greilsammer also preferred to keep the tempo on the swift side, which kept the momentum flowing with rhythmical excitement. He gave some interesting insight in the fashion of the current period informed practice. His approach of the Mendelssohn as a dance marked an opposite to the romantic indulgence one normally encountered. It certainly created a brighter tone colour and shape to the longer phrase. The dotted rhythm in the first movement of the Beethoven was exaggeratedly rendered, which felt more fiery and urgent. Same with the accented notes in the third movement that turned into a flamboyant dance and rhythmically bouncing. Instead the last movement of the symphony became an exuberant hunting gallop with the winds turning into a lively military band. He probably saw the work as a drama and reminiscence of the Napoleonic war than an Indian summer preceding the ninth.

Yet under such robust forwardness, it did not leave much room for the built up of intensity towards climax. In Debussy, the culmination of tension fell short from the sedate slow march preceding the ebbs and flows of waves alike in La Mer. The tempest in Beethoven’s first movement also lacked the impact but roaring through. Although some minor tuning glitches, Viktoria Mullova delivered the technical expectations and very natural in her playing. If one has to be fussy, perhaps less weight on the slides between positions, but nonetheless that would allow the swifts easier to nail the right notes. Jonathan Keren’s arrangements of the Debussy were more colourful and interesting than the Gershwin, which the latter seems lacked some memorable features than a medley of excerpts.

Review - Hosokawa, Falla, Mendelssohn, Debussy, Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, 31 March 2018

Circulating Ocean (Hosokawa)

Nights in the Gardens of Spain (Falla)

The Hebrides (Mendelssohn)

La mer (Debussy)

Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra

Ingrid Fliter (piano)

Jun Märkl (conductor)

This mostly sea themed programme displayed vivid imagery of landscape and movements. A sequence from darkness to light was also carefully planned. Hosokawa's circulating ocean began the concert with its slow grow and weighty outlook. A vast space, probably describing a long shoreline, set the beginning with bells chiming in distance and long notes sustaining among strings. Further tension added to the mysterious impression with crushing bass drum alike roaring tides. The raging percussion effects created an eerie impression, while brass and winds made chilling cries of a tempest.

The bleak landscape marked a contrast from the warmth and rhythmic activeness later in Falla's musically painting of Spanish gardens. The first movement, which depicted the Generalife at the Alhambra in Granada, had the brightness in tone though the ebb and flow felt like waves. The orchestra made a blazing sound, while the solo piano seems accompanying with an improvisation part than carrying a leading theme. The orchestra galloped in the second movement rather than a vigorous dance with dynamics swelling throughout. The run speed up in the last movement with an explosive entry of horn fanfare. It was more symphonic with the thick texture but occasionally heavy footed that lost some of the dance quality. Towards the end it became more lyrical and emotionally expressive, which the majestic coda recalled the fantasia like second movement.

Märkl adopted a rather swift tempo in the Mendelssohn. The misty opening was clear up by the tempest with sheer intensity in the strings' tremolo. The orchestra responded well to the changing moods in tone colour and dynamics, which ably built the momentum forward.

Among all four works, Debussy's la mer was arguably most vivid in scenic depiction and musically sophisticated. Märkl continued the swift tempo in keeping the motion forward and urgency to float. The colour bloomed and rhythmically exciting as the sunrise scene was gloriously portrayed by the brass. It was alike an ecstasy in celebrating a blazing moment. Dialogues between parts were seamless in the second movement. Märkl was able to draw them to articulate their parts and employed rubato effectively. The contrast in dynamic and rhythmic changes again produced a colour image with excitement. Though the brass seems less focused and intense than the lower strings in the stormy scene of the third movement. The growing emotions nonetheless maintained the heroic and majestic impression, which was memorable as a whole. 

2018 Hong Kong Arts Festival - Pelléas et Mélisande (Debussy), Hong Kong Cultural Centre Grand Theatre, 15 March 2018

Pelléas - Jacques Imbrailo
Mélisande - Jurgita Adamonyté
Golaud - Christopher Purves
Geneviève - Leah-Marian Jones
Arkel - Alfred Reiter
Yniold - Rebecca Bottone

Die Konzertisten
Orchestra and chorus of the Welsh National Opera
Lothar Koenigs (conductor)
David Pountney (director)

Death and torment were the recurring themes in this production of Debussy’s operatic response to Wagner’s Tristan and Isolde. Pountney probably found the moment when Golaud moaned about the dead surrounded them poignant. A large circular metal cage in skeleton shape dominated the stage surrounded by a pond, possibly a reference to Debussy’s orchestral colour associated with the movement of sea. The set made a daunting appearance alike a prison trapping its residents and haunted them in an eerie environment. The old men in the sea cave became ghost to the horror of Pelléas, a nightmarish illusion when Mélisande was first frightened by their sudden presence. Later in the dungeon, Pelléas saw the zombies and terrified by what he saw.

Yet beautiful light effects and starry backdrop could transform into a romantic setting where the protagonists exchanged their affections. The sublime revealing of Melisande’s beauty in the moonlight created the sensual attraction that not only Pelléas was madly in love with her, Arkel too as he later marvelled the beauty of his daughter in law. This was very different from Golaud, brilliantly portrayed by Christopher Purves, who was driven by jealousy and obsessed with domestic violence. His wife, brother and son were treated as his properties like sheep and he felt as he was their shepherd, as Yniold metaphorically described during act three. In rage, Golaud shaked Mélisande violently in the pond and pulled her hairs, in prior told Yniold off as he lost temper when the spying came to no prove of fidelity, and later threatened Pelléas in the dungeon telling him to stay away from Mélisande. Even at Mélisande’s deathbed, Golaud could not come around as she confessed she did not love him yet he felt guilty by killing Pelléas.

Although the inner plot was about the introvert romance between Pelléas and Mélisande, I felt the outer plot had more weight in this performance, which became a frantic investigation of Mélisande’s infidelity by Golaud and his self-conflict madness within. One could still sense the passionate emotions on surface but there seems lacking a level of depth in displaying the more complex inner psychological connections. Perhaps the portrayal was so realist and plainly symbolic, it did not leave much room for the mysterious and surreal portrayal. Such was the red outfits that Pelléas and Mélisande wore before the murder, which seems suggested both the climatic affection between the two yet later the colour of their blood when Golaud stabbed.

It was strange to ask for more strangeness but the basis of this opera was to let the unspoken and silence provoked the feeling. Pountney probably saw it differently and left with few unexpected: the doctor resembled Debussy himself but he was there to justify Golaud's action and nothing musical; Geneviève throw the newborn child into the pond but became white powder on the surface; Mélisande died but her reappearance at the very end wrapped in white cloth got us back to the beginning. Like me and my colleague singing in the offstage chorus, we made a loud voice heard in distance but never appear on stage, despite the protagonists described us as the sailors sailed into a storm. There were no clear answer to all these puzzles, but created the enigma to indulge and continued guessing who were these people and their purpose after all.

Yet this was one of the best opera productions I experienced in Hong Kong since Fidelio by Komische Oper back in 2004. Besides the set looked spectacular, it was in the right size for the grand theatre stage. The brilliant light effects also produced many visual stirring moments. Dramaturgy was excellent throughout with the sheer dramatic intensity that sustained the theatrical excitement. Besides a great actor, vocally Christopher Purves filled the space of the auditorium with his full bodied voice, and he coloured the words so vividly. He kept the beauty in tone yet very flexible in switching the vocal colour while dramatising the text. Jacques Imbrailo had a warmer timbre than some other singers I experienced as Pelléas before, which often very bright and silvery by comparison. Both his singing and portrayal of the role carried more emotions that felt more human and passionate. Vocally Jurgita Adamonyté was lighter in body yet lyrically fluid. Diction probably could have been clear but acting wise Mélisande was the most challenging of all. She nonetheless very ably realised the vulnerability and sadness of Mélisande in front of Golaud, energetic and excited in seeing Pelléas, and the mysterious outlook when the character became an object. Rebecca Bottone carried the right timbre for Yniold and her struggle with Golaud was dramatically intense. The orchestra was very responsive to Lothar Koenigs's direction and delivered many silky playing. It neither overwhelmed the singers, but also provided the lyrical backbone as the main block of shaping the delicate harmonic colour. As a whole, this production worth a future revisit.

Review - Simon Rattle, Seong-Jin Cho & Berliner Philharmoniker, Hong Kong Cultural Centre, 10 November 2017

Don Juan (Richard Strauss)
Piano Concerto in G (Ravel)
Encore: Clair de lune (Debussy)
Symphony No. 4 (Brahms)

Seong-Jin Cho (piano)
Sir Simon Rattle (conductor)
Berliner Philharmoniker

The revisit of Berlin Philharmonic to Hong Kong marked the final Asian tour with Simon Rattle as its chief conductor, before Kirill Petrenko to assume the role in 2019. Besides local public screenings of both performances across the city, orchestra principals like Emmanuel Pahud and Amihai Grosz also gave their own recitals in town. Despite steep ticket price, with the top category charging nearly four hundred US dollars, the performance quality was as high as expected with many memorable moments. Over the two days a diverse programme was given ranging from Russian to Korean, though the first evening focused on the core German repertoire with Ravel's piano concerto sandwiched in between.

The full bodied sound, at the dramatic opening of the symphonic tone poem 'Don Juan', made a thrilling sonic impression. With such great energy, swift tempo continued at the following soft passage before rubato culminated the built up to a crushing climax. The intensity stayed throughout the gallop, but lacked some dynamic contrast at the mysterious flute leading interlude. The lyric like oboe solo was beautifully played while the strings sustained the soft and ethereal impression. The horns responded with a majestic and confident announcement of the main theme. During the thick and expressive transition, the orchestra managed not to create a vigorously violent tone. Rich tutti playing with sheer momentum drove the energy forward at the recapitulation of the highly romantic expressive theme. Though it could have been more patient with the tempo at the moody coda than too eager in reaching the end.

Probably due to where I sat behind the orchestra, the hall acoustic did not help to project the solo piano too well in the Ravel and sounded rather distant. Seong-Jin Cho's playing was rather stiff at first, in contrast to the energetic orchestral playing which was crisp and carried more direction. One felt the orchestra had a clear road map in mind and produced much colourful playing to the witty and jazzy passages. Elegant harp solo at first and Cho began to play with more momentum towards the end of the first movement . He finally sank into the performance when the lyrically expressive piano solo was given at the start of the second movement. His touch and dynamic achieved a fine balance with the vast space and carried the direction. Sublime winds' solo followed in their entrances and maintained a flowing impression that the tempo neither drag nor in hurry. The cor anglais played its solo beautifully and accompanied by the piano for a sweet and dreamy song without words.

Slick playing began the third movement with woodwind being smooth and secured in their jazzy passages. A rather playful piano part for Cho who maintained the lightness yet also the weight to keep the direction forward in the gallop. Excitement continued among the orchestral playing with transitions seamlessly woven together and accommodated the soloist with consideration on dynamics. For encore, Cho selected Clair de lune to continue the French theme and also a foretaste for his forthcoming album on piano works by Debussy. Not only he played elegantly, but also a good musical sense of phrasing the line naturally that never lose the intention. Even at the elaborated development that his playing was not aggressive and the smoothness sustained throughout. His exquisite touch on the tranquil music held me spellbound and deserved a second hearing in future.

Despite I generally had difficulty to appreciate Brahms's symphonic work generally, the high music standard that being set at the first half kept me interested in what to follow after the intermission. The fourth symphony itself was one that I struggled to understand. Like Tchaikovsky's sixth symphony, the composer would have a rather cheerful third movement but followed by a rather gloomy ending for the sake of seriousness. The first movement was also enigmatic and far from having a clear expression. Instead, the performance gave a rather different approach to the symphony than what I expected. It convinced me that the composer could have been less restrain on his emotions after all. Yet the orchestra took some time to settle at first by being uncertain and untidy in the syncopated entries. There was a level of eagerness to hurry the tempo along, while the strings were heavy footed with the pizzicatos and vibrato heavy. Structurally dialogues between strings and winds did not synchronise naturally and lacked the seamless connection that was effectively executed early on. Momentum gradually regained when reaching the lengthy echo of suspended main theme between parts. The lush tutti sound poured out the emotional tragic sentiments in full and crushingly violent at the coda.

In contrast, the second movement began with the winds playing a broad and majestic dance motive. Sectional entries were seamlessly woven together and stayed on the same dynamic level throughout. The strings entered confidently and expressive on emotions, which carried the sonic intensity but not explosive. It gradually built up the sentimental climax into a rich and vast sound world. The sonic depth gloriously rang out in the hall before calmness hold the emotions back once again. The overall approach to the third movement focused on romanticism than the celebratory mode. Sunshine and positivism broke through the cloudy closing of the previous movement, yet the playing remained majestic and lush than hastening through. Entries were closely connected, and the music was phrased into one long breath so that the intensity was kept throughout.

These all left room for a natural development when the tragic bleakness returned at the beginning of the last movement. Heavy vibrato on strings might not be the current fashionable performing style, but it had expressed the emotions effectively in full at this point. Yet the orchestra did not indulge with the sentiments but kept the momentum forward. Exquisite flute solo on the sorrowful theme answered by some hopeful glimpse from the brass. Violent respond on the strings instead, and was breathtaking to hear the crescendo being built in seven steps as one progressively more intense than before. Ebbs and flows of emotional tides in contrasting dynamic aimed for a tense coda, which culminated the wall of sound into a rich sonic ocean with depth. It took the breath away and worth even the expensive cost to hear this great orchestra on another musical inspirational high point.

(Photo credits: Berliner Philharmoniker; Cultural Presentations Section of Hong Kong)

Review - Violin Recital by Kyung Wha Chung, Hong Kong City Hall, 17 September 2017

Debussy: Sonata in G Minor, L. 140
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.

(Photo credits: Instagram and Facebook)

Review - Anne-Sophie Mutter, Daniel Barenboim and Staatskapelle Berlin, Philharmonie, Festtage 2017

Nostalghia (Takemitsu)
Violin Concerto (Beethoven)
La Mer (Debussy)
Three pieces for orchestra (Berg)

Anne-Sophie Mutter (Violin)
Staatskapelle Berlin
Daniel Barenboim (Conductor)

A rather ambitious programme, which displayed vast music colours and styles, began this year count down to the Easter weekend by the Staatskapelle Berlin. It began with Nostalghia, a twelve minutes work for solo violin and orchestra, as a minimalist reflection of the poetic film in the same title by Andrei Tarkovskij. Instead a reference to the plot and character, Takemitsu, also a cineast, was more interested by the form, movement and sound of water in the film. A slow and mysterious but moody opening was given with long notes hanging in the air. Scalic climb in diminished seventh reached the higher sonic range with harmonics. Glissando on strings evoked an eerie impression and double stops appeared randomly on the solo violin part. The slow tempo suspended the air in stillness reached a brief injection of emotions but faded again. A sudden violent outburst led to the cadenza passage for solo violin with a lot of vibrato at the climb to upper positions. Double stops were then replaced by harmonics and raw sound on the strings. Solo cello played a tense and expressive theme, before returning to the mysterious sound landscape with long notes on strings towards the coda.

In contrast to Takemitsu's dreamy and surreal sound landscape, the violin concerto by Beethoven was muscular, reassuring and bold. Though the employed tempo and phrasing made a sluggish performance despite the produced tone was polished and beautiful throughout. The orchestral introduction was rather full bodied and grand, but also rather vertical looking. Barenboim left the orchestra to phrase the music and only indicated entries than showing direction. A smooth and unhurried entry from Mutter though intonation was far from accurate on higher positions. Compare to Takemitsu, her playing carried more shape because of familiarity since playing the Beethoven's concerto for many years. Though she and Barenboim continued to be sluggish, which the playing began to feel unnecessarily slow and lacked momentum. A rather broad tempo at the cadenza with much rubato, and also heavy on vibrato and bow weight. Tuning also went flat in the technical demanding closing of the first movement.

Strings' lyrical opening of the second movement was tender but again too steady for my taste. Mutter consistently gave a sweet and clean playing but the slowness dragged the orchestral accompaniment along. One felt bored by the effect despite she achieved the intimacy with the softness in dynamics. The dramatic transition was rather abrupt by development and pouring more emotions at the passionate transition when reaching the last movement. Mutter finally loosen herself, which she gave a virtuosic technical display and more able to deliver the ebb and flow of emotions. The orchestral gallop was energetically corresponded by the beautiful tone quality. It was neither hurry over the double stops and gave sufficient time for each note to sing. An exquisite sweet and tender cadenza, which again Mutter's playing was seamlessly smooth in switching positions preceded the brilliant finale with urgency. Even so, I was not too thrill by the playing as a whole due to many questionable rubato employment and lacked the forwardness.

Interestingly the orchestra had more shape in its playing and regained the interest in their music making at the second half. The mysterious and eerie opening of Debussy's La Mer was followed by an ongoing of ebb and flow of emotions and dynamic contrasts. Though one still sensed the orchestra was observing than driving the momentum, and Barenboim seems rather cool on phrasing by only indicating entries. Yet the sunrise scene was beautifully played with a radiant tone colour followed by a romantic and rhythmically ever changing second movement. The playing was more connected and flowing than before, but it stayed within the vertical shape than moving forward. There was more momentum throughout the tempestuous third movement that depicting the wind and sea, compare to the calm and sunny state in previous movements. Strings gave a strong pulse in building up the violent gallop and answered by a magnificent brass fanfare. It was crisp and precise to sustain the dramatic outlook for an explosive finale.

Berg's music style instead took away the impressionist outlook and replaced with a disfigured appearance. The prelude had a level of weirdness in its development and unsettling as where it headed into. An explosive blast quickly tranformed into an expressive yet violent theme, while the percussion played continuously until the music died away. The second movement, titled 'round dance', was a deconstruction of tonality and the music returned to a fragmented state. The orchestra was far more engaging with direction when ploughing through the ebb of flow of violence and strangeness. Blazing brass reinforced the grotesque impression of the third movement, which followed by a tiring descend into the abyss before a dramatic return for more wild screams. The orchestral layers became more transparent and articulated despite the irregular rhythmic patterns. A war like bombardment from the brass and percussions for an exploding march to conclude the piece with a loud bang. It was as if the musical giant had reawaken for an energetic display but should have happened early on than at the end.

Photo credits: Staatsoper Berlin

Review - Yan Pascal Tortelier, Jakob Koranyi, Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall, 22 May 2016

Valses nobles et sentimentales (Ravel)
Cello Concert No. 1 in a minor (Saint-Saëns)
Encore: Song of the Birds (Casals)

Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune (Debussy)
Tod und Verklärung (Richard Strauss)

Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra

Jakob Koranyi (Cello Soloist)

Yan Pascal Tortelier (Conductor)

After two evenings of predominant German works performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra, the local philharmonic orchestra offered a mostly French programme in contrast. Atmospherically lighter works made a change from the rich and muscular sound world since Parsifal at Madrid in April. I also felt the chosen music fit well with the polish and bright timbre of the orchestra.

Though probably due to the tight schedule of rehearsals, Tortelier conducted every note with too many indications. After a pompous festive dance opening in the Valses nobles et sentimentales, the momentum became rather mechanical and square in the surreal second movement. There were too much lingering as the players had to wait for the conductor to give the down beat. Beautiful playing from the woodwinds but the music need to flow more instead of stiffness, especially the piece was all about waltz dancing.

Tortelier's laborious conducting produced a vertical reading of the score that not able to produce direction in the playing. Although not as terrible as Jader Bignamini in Netrebko's Hong Kong gala, who failed to conduct ahead and resulted many tempo negotiation issues, it became problematic in Saint-Saëns first cello concerto when the orchestra constantly a fraction behind the soloist. There were some imprecision in his conducting which caused messy coordination in entries. The cellist Jakob Koranyi was alerted to the situation and his playing remained smooth and refine. He had a sense of naturalism and at ease to play through thick fugal passage. Even sitting far away from the stage one could feel the presence of the body of sound that filling the hall nicely. A star to watch out in future.

In the second half, the orchestra sounded very confident in Debussy's Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune by expressing its own will shaping the music than following the conductor. More connected between sections and captured the dreamy atmosphere vividly. Radiant flute solo playing from Megan Sterling by being unhurried and tender. It was also my first to listen to Tod und Verklärung by Richard Strauss. Probably best to describe it as an instrumental version of his opera Daphne, which structurally similar with a long second half towards a heavenward conclusion, though a mysterious opening than a pastoral one. In this performance atmospherically the beginning was not too bleak during the cor anglais solo with tremolo by the double basses. Though the tension of the violent stormy passage did not make quite an impact, and again Tortelier's vertical reading of the score failed to make the transition to the calm and peaceful section a smooth one. The orchestra produced a magnificent sound in climatic moments and highly emotional, but the playing still lacked focus in direction. The tempo towards the end gradually became too broad and as a result the supposed sublime conclusion sounded a boring climb. Otherwise it would have been a wonderful discovery if the conductor would allow the orchestra to do its work than too many instructions.

Jakob Koranyi