(Above: Daniel
Raiskin)
Hou
brought a special vibrancy to the concert which made the evening into an
awe-inspiring experience. (Review by Dr Martin
Goldstein)
The KZNPO’s early spring season got off to
a good start with its opening concert which took place on August 22, 2019. It featured
three lovely works by fairly well-known composers. The programme got off to a
luscious start with an enchanting work by Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924), Pelléas et Mélisande, Op 80: Suite
(1898). This was followed by an ominous and awe-inspiring work by Max Bruch
(1838-1920), his Violin Concerto No 1, Op. 26 in g minor (1866), revised
(1867). The concert concluded with aplomb with a popular and fairly well-known
work by Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904), his Symphony No. 8, Op 88 in G Major
(1889).
Fauré’s style bridges the gap between Late
Romanticism and the early 20th century. He is perhaps more commonly known for
his ethereal setting of the Pie Jesu.
During his frequent trips to London for private festivals organised by friends
during 1892-1900, he was commissioned to write incidental music for
Maeterlinck’s Pelléas et Mélisande
(1898). The original version was for a small orchestra and was orchestrated by
Koechlin, apparently because Fauré was overworked during this time. All the
same, Fauré later fashioned it into a masterful, full-blown orchestral suite.
The KZNPO’s rendition of it can be
described as being luscious with beautiful gliding seventh chords which
crystallized in the harp. The acclaimed conductor, Daniel Raiskin, instilled a
sense of calm in the orchestra. He was clearly more focused on the quality of
the sound produced by the orchestra and the narrative it portrayed rather than
on producing loud, flashy playing.
Bruch wrote his first violin concerto
during the time that he was music director to the court at Koblenz from 1865 to
1867. This work has defined Bruch’s legacy more than any other. He associated
with the finest violinists of his era, the likes of David, Joachim, Sarasate
and Willy Hess and it is certain that the advice he received from them shaped
his approach to composing for the instrument.
(Left: Susanne
Hou)
The phenomenal solo violinist, Susanne Hou,
has definitely created a legacy of her own, having won numerous prestigious
competitions and having received a list of accolades. Her performance with the
KZNPO left us all in awe. Her manner was unassuming and she made her virtuosic
playing look effortless. She produced a crystal-clear tone without relying on
excessive vibrato. The orchestra, in turn, imbued this work with great
vivaciousness throughout and the woodwinds were certainly on top form. Hou
brought a special vibrancy to the concert which made the evening into an
awe-inspiring experience. For her encore, Hou played a stirring collection of
traditional Chinese folk melodies which certainly demonstrated her depth both
as a performer and as a person.
Dvořák wrote his eighth symphony during a
time when he was on the ascent to international fame. This came about largely
thanks to the favourable reception he received during his visits to England.
Indeed, he gave a performance of his eighth symphony in London in April 1890.
While continental politics had not been in his favour in Germany and Austria,
England acknowledged his artistic worth and it was there that he was able to
freely express his identity as a Czech composer. This period also revealed a
more poetic side to his compositional style. The KZNPO was at ease with the
symphony’s bustling contrapuntal texture and it was clear that Raiskin had
engendered a sense of calm and direction throughout. – Dr Martin Goldstein
The
next three concerts of the season take place at 19h30 in the City Hall on
August 29 (not as previously advertised in the Playhouse Opera), September 5
and 12.
(To
link direct to the KZN Philharmonic’s website click on the orchestra’s banner
advert on the top of the page or visit kznphil.org.za)
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