(David Salleras &
Christopher Duigan)
Concert creates general atmosphere of joyous festivity.
(Review by Michael Green)
The American composer George Gershwin, who died in 1937 aged
38, seems to be flavour of the month in Durban. The Pretoria pianist Charl du
Plessis played several Gershwin pieces in a recital for the Friends of Music
and a few days later the KZN Philharmonic Orchestra, in the penultimate concert
of their summer season, devoted most of the programme to Gershwin’s music.
Both occasions generated great enthusiasm among the
listeners, and it was particularly gratifying to see a full house in the City
Hall for the orchestra’s concert.
Gershwin’s music, melodious and rhythmical, jazzy and
traditional, has an irresistible appeal for most people, and when played by a
big orchestra and brilliant soloists it is at times quite overwhelming. The
City Hall audience certainly felt that way, judging by the applause and
whistles, shouting and cheering.
Conducted by the visiting American James Ross, the orchestra
opened with An American in Paris,
Gershwin’s vivid portrayal of Paris in the 1920’s. Ross is a conductor who
obviously enjoys his work, he smiles often, and the players responded in like
fashion.
The second item was a total contrast, a concerto called Cyber Bird by the contemporary Japanese
composer Takashi Yoshimatsu. This brought to the stage three soloists: the
Spanish saxophonist David Salleras, Christopher Duigan, piano, and Stephane
Pechoux, a member of the orchestra, percussion.
The three movement work is an interesting and accessible
fusion of western and eastern music, with David Salleras’s saxophone dominating
the proceedings; the piano was sometimes barely audible. Salleras is an
exceptional player, and he contributed an encore written by himself, an extraordinary
Caprice that he had played earlier at
a Friends of Music recital.
A brief tuneful item by the 85-year-old South African
composer Theo Bophela was performed by four singers and a saxophonist, with the
composer’s son at the piano, and it was received with happiness and
appreciation by the audience.
We went back to Gershwin with his most famous composition, Rhapsody in Blue. Here Christopher
Duigan had the opportunity to show what a good pianist he is, handling the
difficult score with thrilling skill.
Finally the orchestra played Porgy and Bess: A Symphonic Picture, a 25-minute work by Robert
Russell Bennett (another American), based on Gershwin’s famous opera. Rather
diffuse and over-long, but it was a treat to hear Bess, You is My Woman Now
played with passion by a full orchestra.
Numerous speeches and announcements meant that the concert
ended 40 minutes later than usual but nobody seemed to mind, and the general
atmosphere was one of joyous festivity. - Michael Green
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