Saturday 19 February 2000 Victoria Concert Hall	MASTERS SERIES Beethoven Symphony Cycle
	Igor STRAVINSKY (1882-1971) Symphony In E-flat, op.1 Manuel de FALLA (1876-1946) Nights in the Gardens of Spain Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Symphony No.4 in B-flat Major, op.60 Joaquín ACHÚRRARO piano CHOO Hoey conductor

OVERALL NOISE RATING: 0 (Except for that 10pm beep, all was quiet.)

The Noise Rating Index is a partially-objective measurement of pager and handphone blasts, 9pm and 10pm watch beeps, coughing-during-the-pianissimo-bits, intra-audience conversation and other mind-bogglingly inept noises emitted in the concert hall during actual performance of music. It is measured on a scale of 0 to 5, in increasing annoyance.

The truth is, I could not convince anyone to come with me to this concert - why? Because the conductor was Choo Hoey. It seems the impression of Dr Choo remains unfavourable among many. Even the day after, when I exclaimed to my friends how good this concert was, the general sentiment was towards disbelief and surprise.

The next truth is, my first reason for enthusiasm towards this concert was with the programme. As is becoming habit with Choo Hoey, whenever he comes, the programme almost always becomes part experiment, part intrigue. Here we have: a Stravinsky symphony that didn't sound like Stravinsky at all, a "piano concerto" that was not in fact a piano concerto, and finally (in my opinion), the best of Beethoven's lesser known symphonies. It promised to be a very interesting night.

[Evidently, the SSO, um, also couldn't convince some of its members to "attend" the concert. Conspicuously absent were several key members, including Lynette Seah (Associate Leader), Jiri Heger (Principal Viola) and Liu Peng (Acting Principal, cello)]. (Please see below for further comments)

The 45-minute Stravinsky Opus 1 is a youthful work of his 23rd year, encouraged by and written under close supervision by his teacher then, Rimsky-Korsakov (Igor rushed to him after completing every few pages to show Rimsky his progress). The SSO began straightaway in attentive form, in rich and dark tone, generating Glazunovian weight and sweet harmonies. The sound was slightly unfocussed - the loud and punchy brass seemed to make no effect, and there seemed to be lacking any meaningful symphonic argument, despite all the orchestral effects. But I am of more than half a mind that this was due to the composition rather than the performers - Rimsky-Korsakov and Glazunov, shall we say, aren't exactly first-class symphonists to be influenced by.

The Scherzo would have benefitted by being more hectic; as it were, this was a mild and amiable reading, quiet cheerful. Nevertheless, I found it adequate. The Largo was distinguished by its protracted length. To my admiration, the SSO sustained it very well, keeping my attention throughout. They played nobly and passionately, Tchaikovskian agony mixed with sweet sorrow, but also with a good sense of restraint, right to the grim tremolo end. The Finale brought back an unfocussed sound, despite (again) the bright tone and brash brass. Though the playing was lively and energetic, momentum was lacking, and the music still craved that sense of purpose - exactly the opposite, I would say, of the mature Stravinsky!

The word "mature" could hardly do justice to guest pianist Joaquín Achúcarro - this man's list of awards and accolades just goes on and on. He is the recipient of the Gold Medal of Fine Arts (1995) awarded by the King of Spain, winner of the two most important Spanish music prizes by 17, was declared Premio dell'Academia (best pupil of all musical disciplines) at the Accademia Chigiana, Italy; Gontaut Biron Prize, Paris; Gold Medal, Geneva International Competition; First Prize, Viotti Competition; First Prize, 1959 Liverpool Competition; named Comendador de Número de Isabel la Católlca by the Spanish Government; received the Premio Nacional de Musica in 1992, the highest honour in the arts of Spain... and that's not all. Achúcarro has performed in 56 countries, with over 189 different orchestras and 310 conductors!

Ascending the stage, he was a handsome and princely figure, with a full head of silver hair. His notes sprang like water and light from the keyboard, with superb flow. Most amazing was the astonishing range of colours he could achieve in each register - the rippling of the middle register saw him hardly strike the keyboard, but rather lightly drumming to maybe the halfway point of each key, producing a scintillating tone of fluid elasticity yet of full body. Sometimes the highest notes had a hard top, but retained a soft, harp-like sound underneath, and then later Achúcarro would reverse the colours.

It was this liquid, multi-hued and graceful fingerwork that mesmerised me throughout the short Nights in the Gardens of Spain, which was ultimately given a subtle and poetic reading. The fact that the piece is often described as "Impressionistic" reflects only more on his capabilities. The occasional wrong note was hardly of any concern, so powerful, dignified yet humble was Achúcarro's presence - without doubt, here was a pianist of the majestic class.

Magnificent too was the Beethoven Fourth Symphony - the SSO entered with a fine and smooth Adagio, slow and steady in very good tone, clean and sharply forward. In the Allegro vivace, the orchestra provided beautiful playing composed of stately rhythms and very assured musicianship - everything was steady and splendidly alive, with fairly conservative tempo that only increased the sense of the music's monumental art. The strings were finely etched, the woodwind in mellow and prominent voice.

The same would go for the third movement Allegro vivace, again in very steady pace, with textures that I can only describe as high musical cuisine. Chord balance in the finale, or for that matter the whole work, was finely achieved, with some really amazing results. The Adagio was sane, clear and wholesome, in very focussed and appealing sound. The three slow chords which recurred as a motif seemed to refer to the Fifth Symphony that Beethoven was working on at the same time - in this performance, hypnotic and sumptiously executed.

Choo Hoey's vision of the work impressed me for its ability to slow down this rather fast music. He achieved a moderate pace that not only maintains the Beethovenian splendour, but refocusses its underlying energy into Mozartian grace - "Olympian" is the word some would use. As mentioned, the SSO's sense of chordal textures was highly commendable - harmonies and chords truly penetrate the air and sink into one's sphere of hearing, such was their transparency and body. At the end, smiles were aplenty across the stage, and Choo Hoey rightly highlighted the marvellous woodwind section.

Congratulations to all on a very fine evening. The hall was, in fact, at least 60% full, and Dr Choo and the orchestra deserved every occupied seat's applause.

Chia Han-Leon has just discovered the wonderful world of cargo pants. It's late, but at least now I have more pockets than I have stuff to stuff in them.

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650: 22.2.2000 ©Chia Han-Leon

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