Before the first notes sounded, the atmosphere in a full Philharmonic Hall was electric. On walking on to the platform the admiration from the Liverpudlian audience was clear for the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra’s Conductor Laureate Vasily Petrenko. Opening the evening was a rarity, Lyadov’s short, but enchanting tone poem Kikamora. Telling a mystical tale, Petrenko wove the story with magic and awe. Hushed pianissimos created a breathlessness as enchanted cor anglais solos created a bewitching atmosphere.
Christian Li, just 15 years old, joined the orchestra for a performance of Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto. Li’s stature may be slight but his musical presence was enormous. His interpretation is understandably still at the beginning of his journey with the work, however he drew the listener in. Conventionally paced, Li displayed a range of bold and bright primary colours; subtlety and gradation of light and shade were noticeable but very much in their infancy. Petrenko followed his soloist sympathetically; in the first movement there were a couple of occasions when the orchestra overpowered Li, but this was soon rectified and the RLPO became the ideal accompanists.
Each of his phrases in the first movement had individuality, but transitions from one to the other lacked a little in subtlety. In the central Canzonetta, Li’s musicality was at its most communicative, capturing the melancholy mood, making this a song without words. What stood out in the finale was Li's tone on his 1737 Guarneri. On the lowest G string, the tone was simply beautiful and the range and speeds of vibrato were highly expressive. The staggering technical skill of this young person is remarkable.