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. 

Review - Wagner, Schumann and Mendelssohn, Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall, 5 November 2016

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.