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Dvorak Serenade
in E major for strings
Schumann Piano
Concerto in A minor
Chopin Piano
Concerto No 2 in F minor
Dvorak Slavonic
Dance in E minor,
Op 72 No 2;
Legend in G minor, Op 59 No 3
Lausanne Chamber
Orchestra
Conductor
and soloist by Christian
Zacharias
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The Royal Albert Hall
25 August 2004 |
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In their
first-ever appearance at the
Proms the Lausanne Chamber
Orchestra naturally chose
a programme designed to showcase
the strengths both of its
ensemble and of its conductor-soloist,
Christian Zacharias. The evening
began with the honeyed richness
of Dvorak's Serenade in E
- a work for which the word
ėmellifluous' might have been
coined, so unstoppably melodic
and atmospheric, more evocatively
Bohemian for this reviewer
even than Smetana's ėMa Vlast'
- demonstrated the sensitivity
and eloquence of the orchestra's
playing style, which in every
piece that followed was consistently
and engagingly reproduced:
the same exact tutti, the
same disciplined lyricism
and fluency, and therefore
the same admirable service
to the music. This is entirely
characteristic of the Lausanne
Chamber Orchestra: they sound
like that at home and on their
recordings.
Christian Zacharias is a character,
scooping music from the orchestra
with long fingers and angular
attitudes of body. Conducting
from the piano he maintained
firm control, and this without
loss to his own performance
in all but the first movement
of the Schumann. In the Chopin
especially he was spectacular.
The question-mark over the
Schumann first movement was
prompted by the fact that
it seemed as if Zacharias
was holding the pedal too
long; his articulation was
blurred, and the blurring
had nothing to do with the
Albert Hall's celebrated acoustic,
for the orchestra behind him
was as crisp and refined as
in the preceding Dvorak.
Although it is hard to pick
a highlight from a fine performance
of delightful music, it has
to be said that Zacharias
must have rewoken in many
of his audience an interest
in Chopin's piano concerti.
In this rendition the No 2
in F revealed a surprising
depth and complexity; it was
not a soloist showpiece with
orchestral accompaniment merely,
but a piano concerto in its
own right, with a genuine
relationship between the piano
and the orchestra.
At the outset the promenaders
welcomed - in promenader French
- the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra
to their Prom debut. At the
end it was evident that the
whole audience had been charmed
and captivated by the sheer
musicality of the orchestra
and its entertaining conductor-soloist,
and their own evident enjoyment
of what they do.
AC Grayling |
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