(Lukáš
Vondráček)
Programme of music probably representing mainly
unknown territory to the audience was a resounding success. (Review by Michael
Green)
Apart from some minor non-musical mishaps,
this penultimate concert of the KZN Philharmonic Orchestra’s summer season was
a resounding success with a programme of music that was probably mainly unknown
territory to the audience.
The Durban City Hall stage was lit up like
a Christmas tree, this presumably because the concert was being filmed for television. Bright blue lights
adorned the stage entrances and big moving patterns of blue, yellow, pink and
purple lights were played on the back walls. These were an irritating
distraction, and in any case the dignified City Hall does not need this kind of
improvement.
To add to
the excitement, the orchestra’s precious Steinway grand piano nearly fell off
the lift that moves it from ground level up to the stage, and when a choir of a
hundred singers assembled on stage the chairs of some of them collapsed and had
to be replaced.
Ah well,
these things happen, and the music itself gave great pleasure to an
enthusiastic audience. The concert opened with the overture to Engelbert
Humperdinck’s fairy-tale opera, Hansel
and Gretel. The conductor for the evening was Russian-born Naum Rousine,
who is a violinist in the orchestra and often steps up to the podium as
assistant conductor. He is an experienced professional with a brisk and
vigorous conducting style, and he contributed much to the success of the
occasion.
The
26-year-old Czech pianist Lukáš Vondráček joined the orchestra for a compelling virtuoso
performance of the Piano Concerto in G minor by his compatriot Antonin Dvořák. This is not nearly as well known as Dvořák’s cello and violin concertos, but it is a lovely work, with plenty of the
haunting melodies that make Dvořák’s music so memorable.
Vondráček has a formidable technique, as he had demonstrated two days earlier in
recital for the Friends of Music. He has an unusual stance; he sits hunched
over the keyboard, a picture of concentration. The results are outstanding: glittering
fast passages and a lovely mellow tone in the lyrical phrases.
Prolonged
applause at the end brought forth a dark and beautiful Rachmaninov encore.
Finally we
had a big choral work by a local composer. Qinisela Sibisi was born in KwaMashu
50 years ago and obtained a music degree at the University of Zululand. He has
been much involved with conducting and writing music for choirs, this in spite
of a severe physical disability; he came on stage in a wheelchair and showed an
attractive modesty when praised by the orchestra’s chief executive, Bongani
Tembe.
The work
performed was Sibisi’s Ihubo/Psalm 47,
a seven-part setting of the psalm for orchestra, choir and solo singers. The
music is most impressive, a fusion of western tradition and African melody. The
composer says he was influenced by Haydn and others, and he could not have
chosen better models.
The choir
singers in this grand and tuneful work came from the Clermont Community Choir
and the Thokozani Choral Society, and they showed that they were well trained
and disciplined, with very good vocal balance.
The
orchestra was in good form and the soloists were Khumbuzile Dlamini (soprano); Ntokozo
Nokubeka (alto); Monwabisi Lindi (tenor); and Mthunzi Nokubeka (bass). They all
sang with style and accuracy. Three of them are products of the University of
KZN, and it is good to know that our music schools are turning out performers
of this calibre. - Michael Green
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