Beethoven 4 - Australian Chamber Orchestra - Don't miss it!
November 16th 2009 03:08
Beethoven 4 - Hamer Hall, November 15th 2009.
Brett Dean's Testament provided the perfect introduction to Beethoven's 4th Piano Concerto and Symphony. Testatment is a depiction in sound of what Beethoven may have experienced physically and emotionally when losing his hearing, and the piece was brought masterfully to life by the orchestra under Richard Tognetti's direction. Contrasting soundscapes were created using a variety of orchestral effects to evoke the panic and fear - morendi, pizzicati, rosined and unrosined bow work, and slightly distorted sustained notes. Contrasting this was the transient call out to the slow movement of Beethoven's Op. 59 No. 1 String Quartet, followed by the final section with its sense of terror and urgency. These musical and formal elements all combined to great effect to depict the flickering of Beethoven's hearing and to stimulate audience empathy for the composer's plight.
After the struggle of Testament, Beethoven's 4th Piano Concerto in G Major sprang to life. Dejan Lazic is a truly mesmerising young artist, whose depth of phrasing and dynamics in the Beethoven was astonishing. His musicianship and technical mastery of the concerto were finely balanced - sparkle and drama in the more demanding technical passages of the concerto contrasted superbly with lyricism and musical tenderness where the music demanded it. With the orchestra's support, this was an electrifying performance. To conclude the first half, the young maestro played Schumann's Pleasant Landscapes from Forest Scenes, to a standing ovation.
To round off the Beethoven experience, the orchestra played Beethoven's 4th Symphony in B Flat Major with its usual flair and spirit, with some fine solo work from the 'cellos and woodwind section, particulary the principal clarinet, in the last movement. Lovely articulations and contrasts abounded, making for a satisfying dénouement to the afternoon.
Brett Dean's Testament provided the perfect introduction to Beethoven's 4th Piano Concerto and Symphony. Testatment is a depiction in sound of what Beethoven may have experienced physically and emotionally when losing his hearing, and the piece was brought masterfully to life by the orchestra under Richard Tognetti's direction. Contrasting soundscapes were created using a variety of orchestral effects to evoke the panic and fear - morendi, pizzicati, rosined and unrosined bow work, and slightly distorted sustained notes. Contrasting this was the transient call out to the slow movement of Beethoven's Op. 59 No. 1 String Quartet, followed by the final section with its sense of terror and urgency. These musical and formal elements all combined to great effect to depict the flickering of Beethoven's hearing and to stimulate audience empathy for the composer's plight.
After the struggle of Testament, Beethoven's 4th Piano Concerto in G Major sprang to life. Dejan Lazic is a truly mesmerising young artist, whose depth of phrasing and dynamics in the Beethoven was astonishing. His musicianship and technical mastery of the concerto were finely balanced - sparkle and drama in the more demanding technical passages of the concerto contrasted superbly with lyricism and musical tenderness where the music demanded it. With the orchestra's support, this was an electrifying performance. To conclude the first half, the young maestro played Schumann's Pleasant Landscapes from Forest Scenes, to a standing ovation.
To round off the Beethoven experience, the orchestra played Beethoven's 4th Symphony in B Flat Major with its usual flair and spirit, with some fine solo work from the 'cellos and woodwind section, particulary the principal clarinet, in the last movement. Lovely articulations and contrasts abounded, making for a satisfying dénouement to the afternoon.
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