(Above: Daniel Boico enjoys a
rare moment of relaxation before the concert. Pic supplied)
(The highlight of the
programme was undoubtedly the performance by visiting Japanese violinist Mayumi
Kanagawa, of Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto. Review by Barbara Trofimczyk)
The KZNPO’s summer concert season consists of only two concerts – one on the 20th February (review attached) and the next on February 27th:
The line-up was as follows:
Thursday, February 20, 2025:
Conductor: Daniel Boico
Soloist: Mayumi Kanagawa (Violin)
Programme: Beethoven
Egmont Overture
Tchaikovsky
Violin Concerto
Beethoven Fourth Symphony
The first of two concerts in the KZNPO’S Summer Season was very well attended including several groups of school children (audiences of the future).
Compared to other cities in South Africa, Durban suffers from a relative scarcity of top professional classical concerts. The excellent turnout for this concert seems to suggest that Durban wants more, and if funding is the problem, powers that be must make a greater effort. Let’s have more concerts next season!
There were three items on the programme, al well-known works. While the orchestra still has to rely on extra players, especially in the string section, keeping to familiar music helps to maintain a top professional standard. Also, the reduced number of strings can affect balance even with the traditional double scoring of the woodwinds and brass, and the choice of music must take this into consideration.
In the Egmont Overture, Beethoven scored for four horns, clearly intended for occasional special effects and here they were indeed assertive and powerful, but at times when they were meant to blend in with the rest of the winds, they were consistently too loud and intrusive, badly affecting the overall balance of the music.
In the performance of the 4th symphony, scored traditionally for double woodwinds and brass, balance with the strings was considerably more successful. A “work of love” and described as “light and un-harassed”(Paul Boekkooi’s excellent programme notes), the performance by the orchestra and their conductor, Daniel Boico, successfully captured the light-hearted character achieved by Beethoven’s colourful scoring and typical dynamic contrasts. The Finale, however, marked ”Allegro ma non Troppo” was far too fast for comfort!
(Right: Mayumi Kanagawa. Pic supplied)
The highlight of the programme was undoubtedly the performance by visiting Japanese violinist Mayumi Kanagawa, of Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto.
Considered unplayable by his contemporaries, Tchaikovsky evidently struggled to find someone willing to perform the work’s premier.
Ironically, Ms Kanagawa’s performance was beautifully relaxed and perfect from start to finish. Her technical command of the instrument is astounding, encompassing the full range of the score, every note and phrase clearly audible, soft or loud, fast and lively or expressively slow, just as the music commanded, all effortlessly rendered, and clearly taking full advantage of the instrument she was playing on.
Her superb performance seemed to inspire excellence from the orchestra and its conductor, Daniel Boico, who were certainly equal to the task. It was without a doubt one of the finest performances ever of this iconic virtuoso masterpiece.
The encore demonstrated her masterly musical and technical command of Bach’s unique unaccompanied violin oevre. What a pleasure! – Barbara Trofimczyk
The next concert will take place on Thursday February 27, 2025, in the Playhouse Opera.
KZN Philharmonic Season tickets are available through KZN Philharmonic Office on 031 369 9438 or info@kznphil.org.za, and bookings for individual concerts, are available at Quicket outlets. Concert 2 https://qkt.io/wZHNiN
For more information call 031-369 9438, email info@kznphil.org.za or visit www.kznphil.org.za
Or you can gain access to the KZNPO’S website by clicking on the advert to the top right-hand side of this article.
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