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The night’s predominantly Russian programme began
with a tragic piece, Sibelius’ Scene with Cranes, which was
originally written for the play Kuolema (Death). Opening
with controlled, quiet strings, the orchestra explored the sparser
side of sorrow with this 'tone poem,' allowing no excess of emotion
to interfere with the philosophical character of the piece. The
strings displayed an admirable sensitivity to volume and phrasing,
guided by the skillful Okko Kamu, principal guest conductor. The
piece effectively set the night’s atmosphere of studied emotion,
leaving the audience tranquil but thoughtful, and ready for the
passions of the evening to come.
 Scriabin
was influenced by Chopin and Lizst when he composed his piano concerto,
which was resoundingly successful when it premiered in 1897. While
Scriabin has been highly regarded by luminaries such as Rachmaninov
and Ashkenazy, his work stands on the cusp between Romanticism and
Modernism, defying categorisation at times. This concerto, an early
work, involves the broad arpeggios and octave jumps that give it
its Romantic emotionalism. At the same time, however, there are
introspective moments that give the work intellectual depth.
Pianist Dmitri Alexeev cut a dashing figure with
his coat tails and impeccably straight nose. Without any ado, he
launched into a breathtaking virtuosity of sound, letting the notes
of Scriabin’s piano concerto spill forth from his being, filling
the hall with the richness, delicacy and intenseness of Scriabin’s
music.
Alexeev played with a concentration that lifted
the piece beyond its decorativeness. At the same time, his treatment
of the piano was impeccably elegant, registering little effort on
the part of player and machine. The Allegro began brightly, then
turned intense and exhibited a first hint of the passionate climax
that would finally end the concerto. This dramatic turn allowed
Alexeev to exhibit his swiftness of hand, which he brilliantly demonstrated,
building up the colour of the concerto with the aid of several octaves.
The piece gracefully moved on to an introspective, philosophical
moment, where the audience was left to ponder, faced with such elegant
juxtapositions, why the piece was not more schizophrenic or fragmented.
As the movement gained momentum, the question was swept under the
carpet as the ebbs and flows of the theme came together to form
a coherent whole – intense and questioning.
The orchestra accompanied Alexeev suitably, following
his steering from mood to mood. It stayed  respectfully
in the background during the mellow introspective moments, picked
up the pace when the theme was returned to it, and never crowded
or blurred the mastery of the pianist. This was especially evident
during the more light-hearted Andante. The string section shone
with their lyricism and well-tempered playing, carrying the music
valiantly alongside Alexeev’s sparkling work. When the low notes
appeared, the cellos picked up the spirit of meditation, allowing
the pace of the movement to slow, while letting the piano navigate
the harmonic journey. The movement ended with a particularly striking
last three notes, which bridged the transition from the theme of
the Andante to the final movement, the Allegro moderato. Haunting,
final and yet questioning, the moment of philosophical searching
was crystallized in those three notes.
Just as my intellectual faculties were wandering
over to the mystical realm, the Allegro moderato picked up on the
last note and burst forth into a vigorous reworking of the passionate
theme that was heard earlier. The piano was dignified yet warm,
questioning yet tranquil. As the movement went back and forth from
intense peaks of emotion and slow considered meditations, I continued
to be dazzled by the mastery of harmony displayed in the work. However,
the elevated passions heaved and roused a bit too vigorously, leaving
aside, I felt, the open philosophical questions. It seemed that,
after the delicate nuancing of the first movement, the last movement
paled in comparison, with the dramatic gestures obscuring the finer
considerations that had been brought up.
Perhaps this was Scriabin’s homage to the emotionalism
of Romanticism; perhaps this early work had not yet reached the
mystical and unconventional realms that Scriabin would explore later
on in his career. In any case, Alexeev did the piece proudly and
honoured the audience with a thoughtful, intense performance.
 Following
the intermission, the show was led wholly by Kamu and the orchestra.
Tchaikovsky’s Fifth symphony was eagerly awaited by the audience
-- unfortunately, a member was apparently so eager that he had forgotten
to turn off his mobile phone, which rang during the last part of
the first movement, joining in the bassoon’s attempt to recapitulate
the theme. This aside, the orchestra in general did not do enough
to bring out the theme from amidst the layers of strings. The first
movement, which is meant to introduce the theme of Fate, sounded
fragmented and slightly stilted, producing a muffled sounding Fate.
Although the emotion and dramatic quality of the movement were well-maintained,
I wished that the bassoon’s ending theme was more ominous and less
overstated.
The slow second movement showed up these flaws even
more clearly. Fate reappears with a theme on trumpets and woodwinds
twice. However, the theme did not interrupt the serenity of the
melody chillingly enough, I felt - instead, it came across as shrill.
This was disappointing, given the sensitive playing by the strings.
The third movement, the waltz, also lacked clarity in developing
the theme, although the last part showed subtlety and control. The
finale began with a fine partnership of the strings and woodwinds,
while the music rolled into a dramatic climax. Again, insufficient
nuancing resulted in loudness without expansiveness or grandeur.
Nonetheless, Tchaikovsky’s lyricism was evident. I was left satisfied
and soothed by the great classic composition, but all too aware
of the niggling flaws in the performance.
All in all, the evening's show was classic, with
certain unforgettable moments of elegance and passion.
Deanne
Tan definitely likes writing more than working.
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