Review - Camerata Salzburg and Piotr Anderszewski, 2017 Hong Kong Arts Festival

Divertimento No. 7 (Mozart)
Piano Concerto No. 12 (Mozart)
Piano Concerto No. 11 (Haydn)
Symphony No. 49 'La Passione' (Haydn)

Camerata Salzburg
Piotr Anderszewski (Piano solo and conductor)

This programme is not merely a functional display of classical works by Mozart and Haydn, but also forms an indirect relation to the passiontide. Mozart's piano concerto was to provide subtle entertainment when theatres were closed during the lenten season of 1783, whereas Haydn's symphony made a dramatic realisation of emotions expressed through the Passion theme. Except the piano concertos, violin first desk led the ensemble without a conductor. This required the players to coordinate through listening to each other attentively and established dialogues by phrasing, but sometimes the produced tone quality was raw and being impatient.

A relaxing start to the divertimento with two horns and strings before turned into an energetic Allegro, which the major and minor keys intertwined like waves. Though the strings could have employed more hairs on the strings for a fuller tone than hurrying along. This later resulted in some abrupt playing during the Adagio and violas had different ideas on tempo coordination. Eventually the band settled down for a more tender and elegant rendition. Horns' callings depicted a lively hunting scene in the second minuet. It unleashed sheer energy by galloping through the presto and able to produce a dramatic contrast of dynamics. Though one still found the down bow attacks rather aggressive in a harsh tone and rather vertical reading of the score.

The lesser use of vibrato among strings in Mozart's piano concerto improved clarity and sustained the line with more direction. Viola's part was more prominent at the rather operatic orchestral introduction. Anderszewski's tempo was on the swift side, his touch was rather muscular and bold but far from an elegant rendition. As a result, the playing was again rather vertically directed and wrong notes were even audibly detected in the scalic patterned cadenza. Strings were impatient and not refine during the ebb and flow of dynamic changes in second movement. Only until reaching the cadenza, Anderszewski switched for a meditative approach by softening his touch on the keyboard and the band responded with some gentle playing. Though strings quickly resumed the aggressive bow attacks in the energetic Allegretto that the produced sound rather harsh and rough. The piano cadenza was strangely inward looking than a technical showcase in contrast.

Featuring Haydn in the second half was more suited to the bodied tone of both the ensemble and pianist. The music carried a certain level of urgency and energy for technical display. Transition into the minor key was actually more elegantly delivered, and the cadenza was better structured in terms of textual progression. Strings' tone was more ringing in the swift and yet majestic second movement. Anderszewski carried the momentum in his playing and direction to aim even under a strong touch. The ebb and flow of emotions was dramatically realised, and still beautifully executed even being bold in style. A witty start to the cadenza alike an improvisation before returning to a dreamy and still state. The last movement was an exotic flair of alla turca with humorous effect and also a virtuosic display. Energy was maintained throughout the wild gallops and precision was achieved for a brilliant technical showcase.

The Passion symphony in turn changed the mood completely from the sunny and heroic state to a sorrowful strings opening. Dramatic contrast of dynamics and emotions were vividly produced, but again needed more time to let the long notes to sing out and a warmer tone than rawness. The second movement marked a tragic negotiation and the ensemble responded seamlessly between parts. It also sustained intensity by energetic bites at entries. The minuet of third movement recalled a gentle but rigid dance in old form. Lower strings produced a rich bodied tone and winds with more solo moments kept the music flowing at a good pace. Tempest returned in the stormy Presto marking with more attacks and bites from the strings, but tuning was not always accurate as they reached higher positions on the fingerboard. As a whole, it gave a rather theatrical depiction of the passion scene and sent the crushing impact in fullness.

Review - Ozno, Haydn, Dvořák, Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall, 3 December 2016

Oikogneia, Book 1 (Ozno)
Sinfonia Concertante (Haydn)
Symphony No. 7 (Dvořák)

Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
Michael Wilson (Oboist)
Benjamin Moermond (Bassoonist)
Jing Wang (Violinist)
Richard Bamping (Cellist)
Jaap van Zweden (Conductor)

Oikogneia consists of music fragments associate with the composer's family members, and subsequently orchestrated from the original MIDI version. The set has referenced to 20th century film music style but also quirky with originality. The first movement is alike a grand exotic ceremonial march similar like Rózsa's works for Hollywood Roman films. The percussions plays a prominent role to generate the rhythmic pulses while high notes for the woodwinds. It is loud in dynamics and finishes abruptly. A light hearted mood follows in the second movement alike the dance sequences of Bernstein's West Side Story, even to do with golf as described by the composer. The third movement is more conventional for being formal and square in patterns. Flourish from the brass while the strings play the melodic lines. The music has a vibrant colour and stays loud throughout, and again a sudden finish off with handclaps.

Rhythmic momentum marks the fourth movement with a narrower music range. The bass clarinet has its solo moment and with an impression of hurrying along the road. The fifth movement reminds the Japanese animation music in Miyazaki's works. Tutti moments has a relatively grandeur outlook and colourful playings from the percussions, with an enigmatic ending that nothing definite. More inward looking in the sixth movement like a military band retreating in distance. It gradually builds up to a slow dance follows by repetitive passages in the brass playing. The last movement is more varied and experimental than before. Glissando on the strings, follows by another Latin dance passage for the brass and percussions, then returns to some plain melodic woodwinds' playing. The music turns into a chase with syncopated rhythmic patterns excitedly marks by the percussions. The dynamic increases to fortissimo or more, with the brass gives a concluding lead and finishes abruptly like previous movements. The set is appropriately programmed to begin this performance, and desirably the rest will perform in future for a better understanding structurally.

After featuring the orchestra lead percussionist as a composer, Haydn's Sinfonia Concertante is an interesting showcase for the principal players of the upper and lower parts in strings and woodwinds. The first movement is regal and majestic in style. The orchestra was able to switch from the energetic Oikogneia into stylish and elegant for the Haydn. Fluid playing among the four soloists with the music flowed with direction and sweet in tone. The violin solo led the melodic line mostly but tuning was not secure as the range went up the fingerboard. The pastoral and sedate like second movement has the violin, oboe and cello take turns in solos. The ensemble achieved the right balance with the soloists and a ringing tone produced by the violin and cello in their duet. It was a pity though that the French horn was flat when finishing off the movement. Structurally the last movement is strange and fluctuated, which Haydn's experimental intention as an operatic showcase for instruments is a work in progress and rather indecisive on tonality. The solo violin was heavy on bow weight and far from producing the thrill of a coloratura flourish. A demanding climb to the very end of the fingerboard for the cellist and the tuning was far from ideal again. The bizarre format left a mixed impression and one not sure whether a future revisit is desirable.

Poor intonation in the horns' introduction of Dvořák seventh symphony, but the strings redeemed the disappointment with their full bodied tone and responded to the style change after the Haydn. The tragic impact would be even more devastating if more weight in the strings' playing. In turn, the produced sound was more suited in the positive outlooking expressive section. Confident horns' playing at loud dynamics, but the woodwinds dragged the tempo slightly and reduced the driving momentum. The crescendo to the climatic expressive moment carried the sheer dramatic impact. Though grainy tone in the horns did not make a refine coda when the music died away slowly. A polished sound from the woodwinds in the pastoral opening of the second movement, but the employed rubato not really able to phrase the music in the right shape and articulate the contrasting moods. In contrast, the strings were better in phrasing even though the tempo would need to be swifter. Beautiful playing from the woodwinds, except the horns, in the lyrical end.

The orchestra would need to dance more in the third movement instead of being rigid and heavy footed. Tempo was on the broad side, and the horns did not match the tone quality of the woodwinds and lower strings. A good bodied of sound from the strings but it could bite more to produce the wildness more effectively. The last movement was dramatically intense in a swift tempo. Brass and strings vividly produced the tempestuous effect and danced with the music in the lyrical expressive passage. The horns were at its best when playing loud in long notes. The contrast in dynamics ably to reflect the ever changing emotions in negotiation between the tragical sense against the heroic force galloping gloriously. The brilliancy sent the audience in enthusiastic reception but the middle movements would need a rethink for a more successful outcome.