INKPOT#84 CLASSICAL MUSIC REVIEWS: Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Saturday
18th September, 1999
Victoria Concert Hall

Familiar Favourites
Classic Hits from the Screen

Richard STRAUSS Introduction from Also Sprach Zarathustra (2001: A Space Odyssey)
Johann STRAUSS II Emperor Waltz (The Last Emperor)
Tommaso ALBINONI Adagio in G minor (Gallipoli)
Samuel BARBER Adagio for Strings, op.11 (Platoon)
Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART Adagio from Clarinet Concerto (Out of Africa)
Camille SAINT-SAËNS Finale from Symphony No.3 "Organ" (Babe)
John WILLIAMS Main Theme from Star Wars

Jean JOHNSON clarinet
Bart FOLSE conductor

OVERALL NOISE RATING: 2 (Generally an appreciative crowd of people who were there for a concert of favourites)

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.

This review has been kindly sponsored by the Singapore Symphonia Co. Ltd

by Johann D'Souza

I am not really a movie buff but I still remember years ago after watching Chariots of Fire, the impact was great enough to inspire me to start a running regime. While I was nowhere near the four-minute mile that Roger Bannister did (I was doing nine minutes), I still remember running with a zestful feeling with the music etched in my mind.

2001: A Space Odyssey To my utter amazement, both nights of this concert were sold out - popular music is still a major drawing factor to concerts in the world, Singapore included. The programme was well thought-out, covering the Baroque repertoire all the way to the 20th century. The opening piece by Richard Strauss, which as with the composer is always a nightmare for the horns, was pulled off well except that the tempo was a bit quick. This would have had greater impact had the horns been able to hold on a bit longer, and perhaps a bit more sostenuto.

Conductor Bart Folse inconspicuously began the second piece, which I thought a very subtle move - you could tell that many people did not catch the sudden 'modulation' until the all-too-famous parts of the Emperor Waltz became blatantly clear.

However the waltz, despite all its poetry, was invariably reduced to prose in the performance. It was only in the middle sections that the orchestra was released from its tight rein to play in a more relaxed fashion. The cellos saved the day with their clean and well-managed ensemble work. However overall, the reading lacked that lilt and bounce which so strongly characterises the Viennese ballroom waltz.

The Baroque spirit emanated in Tommaso Albinoni's Adagio in G minor, especially with the pipe organ lending to the splendour above the well-articulated solo by Lynette Seah. The divisi between sections was also well-maintained. My only point of contention was the slight rush in tempo once again in the return of the opening theme. I thought this could have been taken with a little more passion, as in the opening.

My favorite piece, the Adagio for Strings by Samuel Barber was the highlight of the evening for me. In fact I had gone in with certain high expectations and was not disappointed. Bart Folse instilled his elemental vision into the orchestra at the crux of the music. The producers of Platoon seemed to have picked this piece as if it was written specifically for the film. Folse showed great understanding for the plot of betrayal and revenge - I cannot but recall especially, the scene of the soldier running to the awaiting rescue helicopter only to be shot in the back by his own fellow platoon-mate. The sorrow was caught effectively in the performance, generating good atmosphere, clear internal perspective, a nice tonal balance and a good impression of depth. SSO, I salute you for this.

After hearing Sabine Meyer 'live' in Mozart's Clarinet Concerto this year (reviewed here), I find it rather difficult to make a comparison with any other although I have to say that we do have a top notch clarinettist in Jean Johnson, SSO's Associate Principal Clarinet. There was nothing careless about her intellectual interpretation though she could perhaps have reached further down into the piece's emotional potential. Otherwise, her interpretation was full of eloquence and grace, but at all times I felt that there was this inhibited joy which needed to be let out. This was especially so in her extreme registers where a bit more strength could be given to infuse more vitality into the music.

Sadly, the truth of waiting for the finale of the concert was a disaster. A fellow reviewer who went on Friday shared my sentiments as well. Firstly the introduction to Star Wars seemed to have got terribly muddled up, resulting as clashing noise. The trumpets were too brash and there wasn't any sense of co-ordination between strings and the brass section, the only part that saved the day was the middle section which tapers down into near silence. Anyway, the crowd clapped incessantly after the concert to give their mark of approval, while most of the movie buffs scratched their heads in amazement (I haven't felt this way since the standing ovation for the Helfgott concert). But in all, the concert was overall an enjoyable experience.