I was initially skeptical about the inclusion of a round of chamber music in a piano competition, but after the showing by this competition’s eight semi-finalists, I may be persuaded to think otherwise. Six of the eight would be advanced to the concerto final round, which meant two unfortunate souls would face the cut so near the end point.
Partnering the pianists were four principal string players from the London Chamber Orchestra (LCO), specially flown in for the competition. No strangers to the Singapore music scene, first violinist and LCO Artistic Director Rosemary Furniss (right) played at the Bang & Olufsen Chamber Music Festival in 1990 (the one that starred a pre-pubescent Vanessa-Mae) while second violinist Mark Butler was formerly from the Chilingirian Quartet and is now a member of the ASMF Chamber Ensemble. Violist Robert Smissen also appeared with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields Chamber Ensemble on a few occasions. Only cellist Robert Max was totally new to me.
Kudos go to Furniss and Max who performed with all eight pianists, ranging from piano trios to quintets – about five hours of music-making in total within the span of a single day. For them to have rehearsed and performed six totally demanding chamber works with eight different pianists (some of whom probably don’t even speak English) must have been a quite unusual feat. For the listener, the competition’s organiser Dr Andrew Freris was absolutely spot on when he referred to the day’s proceedings as “a feast of music”.
Morning session
Four different works showcase each pianist to their strengths. High musicality is the order of the day, starting with Colleen Lee Ka Ling (left) in Brahms’ Piano Trio No.1 in B major Op.8. She handles the opening nobilmente theme with much eloquence, is sensitive and not overawed by the string players. Although occasionally getting submerged by the strings, she has a firm grip of the music and maintains a tension that holds the performance together. Verdict: Very clean and with no major errors, she should make the Final.
More Brahms and its Ilya Rashkovskiy (right) in the Piano Quintet in F minor, Op.34. He produces a big and muscular sound and with his string partners, cuts a striking figure on stage. Minor insecurities in the slow movement are more than made up by his working the scherzo to a thrilling climax. The finale is moulded in an equally impressive way. Verdict: Good for the Final.
With this round, Mei Yi Foo (left) proves to be the most interesting performer in the competition. She is totally confident and this rubs on to her fellow musicians. The chemistry is visually and aurally palpable and their performance of Schumann’s Piano Quintet in E flat major Op.44, simpers, sizzles and sparks to life. Even violist Robert Smissen, whose body language usually suggests that he’d rather be in Lan Kwai Fong, is piqued and alert to her every motion.
While getting into the music, Foo is prone to facial grimacing, raising and furrowing of eyebrows and head shakes – sure symptoms of LangLangosis (or Chufangitis, as defined by the recent winner of the Cleveland Piano Competition) – which can be distracting and adds little to the already white-hot music making. Verdict: This was to be the most satisfying performance of the day, and would have earned enough brownie points with the jury to advance.
Maria Masycheva has chosen Brahms’ Piano Quartet No.1 in G minor Op.25, an ambitious choice. Her playing is competent, clean and safe, but ultimately lacks colour and engagement. The rambunctious alla zingarese final movement fails to ignite, and even the coruscating cadenza towards the end is too polite. It almost becomes a comfortable snooze. Verdict: In view of three excellent earlier performances, she is not a favourite to go through.
Intermission: CD shopping in HK
What did I do in the intervening four hours or so between the two sessions of chamber music? No prizes for guessing. Hong Kong is without doubt a music lovers’ haven, where shopping for classical CDs and DVDs far overshadows what Singapore has to offer. There is definitely a larger quantum of classical music lovers here – Hongkongers and expats – and therefore a larger body of consumers of recorded music.
There are two outlets in Central I recommend:
Shun Cheong Records, 3rd floor Chung Nam Building, 59 Des Voeux Road Central
This is the major distributor of independent labels in HK, and has two showrooms (boutiques would be a better word) of which the larger is located in Central (the other is in Mongkok). Pianophile labels include Hyperion, Appian (APR), Marston, Arbiter, Ivory Classics, Chandos, VAI Audio, Triton, CPO and Cembal d’Amour amongst others. It also carries historical recordings like Testament, Biddulph and BBC Legends, as well as budget labels Brilliant Classics and Membran. With a members’ discount card, prices are about 30-40 percent lower than HMV or Hong Kong Records. The Mongkok branch (8th floor, Bank Centre, Nathan Road) has an interesting cut-out “bin” with prices marked down some 40 percent.
Percival Records, 35 Wing Kut Street
A side-street specialising in tacky costume jewelry and accessories is an unusual place to find a serious classical CD outlet. This small shop provides the lowest prices for mainstream labels (the Universal labels, EMI Classics etc) and Japanese pressings of RCA Victor historical recordings, about 20-30 percent lower than the big stores. Unfortunately, the arrangement is rather haphazard and the CDs are, like Shun Cheong, arranged by label rather than by composer. Sales service is good in both outlets, a pleasant surprise given that this is Hong Kong.
Evening session
Back to the music making. Olga Andryushchenko (right) did not distinguish herself too highly in the last round, and she continues to struggle in a pedestrian performance of Dvorak’s Piano Quintet in A major Op.81. At least she did not have lapses, but inadequacies are shown up almost 
immediately by Andrey Ponochevny (left), who plays exactly the same piece after her. The difference is apparent in the opening bars with the piano’s entry. While Andryushchenko is tentative, Ponochevny is confident and exudes composure and experience. His maturity and personality shines through in an assured and emphatic performance. Verdict: She is out, he is in.
“Fat boy” Kim Sung Hoon (right) is much better attired this round; in fact he looks rather dapper with a tie and black suit. In Brahms’ Piano Quartet No.1, he is able to say something about the music whereas Masycheva who played earlier sounded gagged. Like Foo, he also galvanises his musicians into a very taut performance of high voltage. And the gypsy element comes through in the finale well enough. Verdict: No doubts of him making it through.
I do somehow question the choice of Beethoven’s “Archduke” Trio by Wen Yu Shen (left). What can an 18-year old say about old Ludwig’s longest and most mature piano trio? Initially his performance struck me as clean, somewhat cool and clinical, without much character. However as the work progressed, he settled in and got better and better. Verdict: Will gain in chamber music experience with time, a good bet for the Final based on his earlier showing.
And to the Finals
My favourite performance of the chamber round: Mei Yi Foo in Schumann’s Op.44. My six choices for the Final: Lee, Rashkovskiy, Foo, Ponochevny, Kim and Shen. And the jury concurred. All the eight pianists performed competently, but only the strongest communicators progressed.
Continue reading : 3. Final Round (15-17 September) : Concerto marathon
Chang Tou Liang is the Artistic Director of the Singapore International Piano Festival and chairs the advisory committee of the National Piano and Violin Competition.
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