The Bangkok Symphony Orchestra Foundation presented the "RBSO Classical Concert No.3" programme earlier this month and featured the return of the exceptionally gifted Taiwanese-American concert pianist Weiyin Chen. The brilliant New York-based classical star last visited in 2013 for a magnificent performance of the Grieg piano concerto, and on this occasion once again captivated an appreciative audience with an equally moving account of one of Mozart's very finest and challenging compositions, Piano Concerto No.23 In A Major, K.488.
Japanese conductor Hide Shindori has by now made several successful trips to work with the Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra in recent years, and his collaboration with the soloist on this occasion proved especially memorable. The stage was set most appropriately by The Marriage Of Figaro overture (which is contemporaneous with K.488), and with Symphony No.8 In G Major by Dvořák following the intermission.
The pace of the overture was a little steadier than modern audiences have generally become accustomed to. Shindori emphasised the extended unfolding expressiveness of the themes rather than the familiar thrill of an ultra-frenetic musical ride, based solely on exhilarating speed for its own sake. With more breadth and scope to the phrasing, the approach afforded the opportunity to bring out some elements of the scoring perhaps a little more forcibly than is usual.
Weiyin Chen has made an acclaimed recording of the Mozart's earlier Piano Concerto In A Major, K.414, with Camerata Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, and to put into perspective the level of her widely admired artistry it is certainly worth quoting here the CD review by eminent critic James Forest: "The amount of insight she brings to this music, so early in her career, speaks volumes for the inherent gifts with which she has been endowed… Ms Chen's youth can entirely equal the playing of Argerich recorded with an additional quarter-century of years and experience behind her." Indeed, her interpretation of the mighty K.488 with the RBSO at this concert reflected that glowing assessment absolutely.
As well as an abundantly expressive personality that projects effusively into the auditorium, there was also clearly a keen musical intelligence at work here, which invites comparison with the likes of Brendel and Ashkenazy. It takes a modern performer of truly superior skill to fully realise every nuance that lies behind the notes on the pages of one of Mozart's final piano concertos that were imbued with hitherto unheard level of sophistication and subtlety at this mature stage of Mozart's compositional life.
This is the warm and gentle A major sound world of the Clarinet Concerto and Clarinet Quintet, with the genial universe of Figaro ever present in the background, and the organic interconnectedness of Mozart's myriad musical characters (on and offstage) is ideally suited to that rare performer who has an incisive mind capable of linking these elements intuitively. The first movement's many contrasting episodes, concluding with the showcase cadenza, revealed Ms Chen to be such an interpreter.
The famous Adagio In F-sharp Minor is of course the emotional heart of the work, and it was here particularly that her fine sensitive touch found its most profound and delicate expression. Although simply the relative minor of A major, the obscure tonality of this movement never fails to induce a sympathetic shuddering within the soul, such is the poignancy of its often barren textures -- etched masterfully by Shindori and the soloist. The rondo theme of the Allegro Assai finale then followed without pause to break the spell of hushed introspection, Ms Chen's immaculately controlled pacing and quicksilver facility up and down the keyboard steering a remarkable performance to a majestic conclusion. Brought back to the platform by an ovation many times, she delighted the audience with an encore of equal commitment and artistry -- Brahms' sublime Intermezzo In A Major, Op.118.
Dvořák's uplifting Symphony No.8 lived up to its unofficial Pastoral moniker when the RBSO came back to take their seats, and although the size of the orchestra was reduced for this appearance in the Small Hall, the ensemble's timbre had a pleasingly rounded warmth and depth to it. Opening with that well known, brooding cello theme, Shindori proceeded to mould a powerful reading of this much-loved masterpiece as it swiftly modulated to the major mode. The intensity of involvement displayed in the concerto was continued, escalating to ever higher levels of excitement as he explored Dvořák's inspiring panoply of orchestral textures and dynamic contrasts, prompting an ecstatic "bravo!" from the audience upon conclusion.
This columnist can be contacted at clewley.john@gmail.com.
