Clarinettist-composer Kinan Azmeh's Suite for Improviser and Orchestra encompasses styles ranging from the Puerto Rican reggaeton of the composer's Harlem neighbourhood to material emblematic of his native Syria. In this performance with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal it featured a jazz trio comprised of Azmeh himself on clarinet, Dinuk Wijerante (piano) and Nick Halley (drums).
Azmeh's playing was astonishing. The timbres that emanated from his clarinet ran the gamut from that of a breathy panflute or a sassy saxophone to a focused Benny Goodman-type sound. The clarinet lines in the slow movement evoked a sense of mystery that transitioned to a wailing anguish. Azmeh's use of multiphonics added intrigue to his improvised solos; his ‘trading fours’ with the piano, drums and the first violin section provided many sparks. Drummer Halley also produced a cornucopia of sounds, using his bare hands on a traditional trap set augmented by a hand drum. The sticks finally came out for a turbocharged solo à la Gene Krupa. Wijeratne on piano was a class act throughout, his imaginative use of harmony in an improv solo in the raucous Wedding segment particularly memorable. Rafael Payare and his OSM forces successfully navigated this foray into the jazz idiom, violins and trumpets adroitly tossing off some fiendish licks. This unconventional composition proved was a stupendous hit with the audience.
Also featured on this programme, albeit in a diametrically different style, was the OSM's Timothy Hutchins in CPE Bach's Flute Concerto in D minor. Montrealers count on Hutchins to perform at a world class level; we weren't disappointed. The protracted cadenza in the middle movement held the audience spellbound; the fiery finger work in the Allegro di molto was a tour de force. A paired down string section would have likely worked better in this acoustic. Nonetheless it was another triumph for Hutchins, who has been the orchestra's Principal Flute since 1978, having turned down offers from both the New York Philharmonic and the Boston Symphony to remain with his Montreal orchestra. Classical music fans here are grateful for the exemplary calibre of musical leadership that this musician continues to provide.
Payare also led polished accounts of Bartók's Six Romanian Dances and Mozart's Symphony no. 39 in E flat major to round out the evening, the disparate material making for a refreshingly unconventional concert.
