The end of the month brought more exciting musical events. Not least en route to Vienna - since my last trip through St Pancras International there are now two 'Play Me I'm Yours' style street pianos in the station. Played a little Philip Glass prior to check in... hearing snippets of performances and doodles was so much more relaxing than piped music!
Our afternoon date for Saturday 26th April was a trip to the Wiener Konzerthaus (Mozart-Saal) to hear Valentina Lisitsa with the Vienna Chamber Orchestra. The programme was a real time-spanning treat, from Mozart's Overture to Cosi fan tutte K588 and Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in D minor, K466, via Tchaikovsky's Elegie for string orchestra in G major (in memory of Ivan W. Samarin) towards Shostakovich's wonderfully funny Incidental Music for Hamlet Op 32a from 1931-32.
From the start the Vienna Chamber Orchestra were excellent - warm, tight, fluid sound easily filling the hall. Valentina, on a Bösendorfer concert grand, matched their tone with her own, bringing out the mellow, lyrical yet stately sound of the piano. As an afternoon (and repeat) concert the hall wasn't full but those who were there were very, very appreciative - at least 6 or 7 curtain calls and an encore of Schubert/Liszt Ave Maria. An excellent performance but possibly slightly underwhelming - though that could be our not-mad-for-Mozart ears as the encore was wonderful. I've listened to a few of Valentina's recordings but it may be time to listen some more.
The second half was by no means lesser - a short but very beautiful rendition of the Tchaikovsky lament, then we were almost giggling in our seats at Shostakovitch's humourous and witty interpretation of Hamlet.
No faults for the performance, but the Mozart-Saal was very stuffy. Saturday was pretty warm by mid-afternoon but there was no air circulation at all. Given how hot Vienna gets in the summer I do hope they have air conditioning...
The week's music geeking starts tomorrow.
Our afternoon date for Saturday 26th April was a trip to the Wiener Konzerthaus (Mozart-Saal) to hear Valentina Lisitsa with the Vienna Chamber Orchestra. The programme was a real time-spanning treat, from Mozart's Overture to Cosi fan tutte K588 and Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in D minor, K466, via Tchaikovsky's Elegie for string orchestra in G major (in memory of Ivan W. Samarin) towards Shostakovich's wonderfully funny Incidental Music for Hamlet Op 32a from 1931-32.
From the start the Vienna Chamber Orchestra were excellent - warm, tight, fluid sound easily filling the hall. Valentina, on a Bösendorfer concert grand, matched their tone with her own, bringing out the mellow, lyrical yet stately sound of the piano. As an afternoon (and repeat) concert the hall wasn't full but those who were there were very, very appreciative - at least 6 or 7 curtain calls and an encore of Schubert/Liszt Ave Maria. An excellent performance but possibly slightly underwhelming - though that could be our not-mad-for-Mozart ears as the encore was wonderful. I've listened to a few of Valentina's recordings but it may be time to listen some more.
The second half was by no means lesser - a short but very beautiful rendition of the Tchaikovsky lament, then we were almost giggling in our seats at Shostakovitch's humourous and witty interpretation of Hamlet.
No faults for the performance, but the Mozart-Saal was very stuffy. Saturday was pretty warm by mid-afternoon but there was no air circulation at all. Given how hot Vienna gets in the summer I do hope they have air conditioning...
The week's music geeking starts tomorrow.
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