Setting key to perfect Bach
Is there a venue more perfect for this 5-concert series of Bach’s Keyboard Concertos than the intimate 18th century St Cecila’s Hall? Its oval shape transports sound evenly to every corner of the auditorium, so that even the most delicate ensemble, in this case two harpsichords and one-to-a-part string ripieno, can be heard to the finest detail. Add the quality of harpsichords available through the wonderful in-house early instruments collection, and the package is all but complete.
Required to top it off are musicians and performances of equal calibre, which is what began to emerge as duelling harpsichordists Mahan Esfahani and Aapo Häkkinen, along with with members of the Dunedin Consort, opened the series with Bach’s solo Concerto in D and Double Concerto in C minor.
Häkkinen took the honours in the first of these, the composer’s transcription of his own E major Violin
Second Piano Concerto. In a work that is mercilessly to-the-point, they obliged, hammering out its brutal succinctness, savage chill and acerbic wit. Gerstein played like a demon.
The orchestra, fixed by his constant stare, took the hint, responding with steely brilliance.
A Chopin encore, played faster than you’d think possible, met audience demands. Concerto. It was an earnest and businesslike performance by the Finn, head down, occasionally making it seem like hard work.
The same went for his transitional solo spot. The
So to the Mahler, and a significantly more complex proposition. Bychkov struck a cautious opening tempo, which threatened to stall the opening moments, but not for long.
Greater urgency emerged, and a directional fluidity that gave full vent to the expressive potential of the first movement.
If the second fell short on piquancy, undermined by a slightly insipid violin solo, double concerto was the transformative moment, Esfahani’s easeful musicality inspiring warmth and excitement, and magical interchanges in the Largo. Bodes well.
KEN WALTON
the third was an instantly redeeming transformation, Beethoven’s spirit looming large in the hymn-like opening, its climaxes rich and emotive.
Soprano Christina Gansch brought innocent simplicity to the finale, judiciously unpretentious, but with some faltering lapses in focus.
Almost, but not quite, the ultimate answer to the Shostakovich.
KEN WALTON