(Christopher Duigan.
Pic by Val Adamson)
St Agnes Church gives a different, almost personal, dimension
to the audience’s experience of the performance. (Review by Keith Millar)
The picturesque stone chapel at the St Agnes Church in
Kloof was the venue last Thursday night, for a rousing concert which featured
the music by two of the greatest composers of all time.
Performing Beethoven and Mozart before a sold-out
audience was the magnificent KZN Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Daniel
Walshaw and with soloists, Christopher Duigan (piano) and Junnan Sun (clarinet)
as soloists.
The orchestra on this occasion was reduced in size to
40 players in order to fit them into the limited space of the venue. However, this
is similar in size to the orchestras of Beethoven’s time - so this is entirely
appropriate when performing his music.
The venue is very intimate with audience and orchestra
sitting very close to each other as opposed to being fairly remote as is the
case in most concert halls. This gives a different, almost personal, dimension
to the audience’s experience of the performance. They can see and hear
everything the musicians do at close quarters.
The acoustic of the venue also adds to the experience
with its pleasing, warm and well-blended quality.
The concert started with Daniel Walshaw, who is also
the Artistic Administrator of the KZNPO, conducting the orchestra in an
exuberant rendering of Ludwig van Beethoven’s buoyant and colourful Symphony
No.2 in D major, Op.36.
The KZNPO is an orchestra that performs at a
consistently high level, and they certainly did not disappoint with their
execution of this lyrical work under the energetic and animated leadership of
Walshaw.
Completing the first half of the programme was a
performance by clarinetist Junnan Sun of the Adagio movement from Mozart’s
Clarinet Concerto in A major, K. 622. This well-loved and achingly beautiful
piece of music was popularised in the movie Out
of Africa. Sun, who is the Principal Clarinetist for the KZNPO and has a
burgeoning reputation as a musician, played this piece with great sensitivity
and serenity. A memorable performance.
Christopher Duigan, who is regarded as one of the
country’s leading concert pianists was the soloist for the final work on the
programme, Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No.3 in C minor Op. 37. Duigan’s
organisation, Music Revival, is also the co-producer along with the KZNPO of
this concert and is the force behind the monthly concerts which are held at the
St Agnes Church in Kloof.
Duigan, who is a Steinway artist, has been appearing
on a regular basis with orchestras in South Africa and abroad for many years.
He is a confident, skilled and complete performer. Attributes which he brought
to bear in a masterful performance of this piano concerto.
The Third Piano Concerto is a vigorous work full of shimmering
colour and energy. It is not easy to play as Beethoven wrote it to show off his
own capabilities as a pianist and to challenge the capabilities of the
instrument of the day. Duigan was equal to the task of interpreting this work and
gave a virtuoso performance.
The superb KZNPO provided skillful and sympathetic
support in accompanying both the solo performers.
Music revival Concerts are held at St Agnes Church in
Kloof on the last Thursday evening of each month. They are presented with the
trademark Duigan laid-back, intimate and informative style. However, rest
assured that the music is always out of the top drawer – making these events something
not to be missed. – Keith Millar
Posts
