German-American violinist Augustin Hadelich, who grew up in the foothills of rural Tuscany, is most definitely the man of the moment and is quite rightly earning a reputation as one of the finest violinists on the circuit. He travelled to Amsterdam to join the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and conductor Karina Canellakis for his first Concertgebouw concert since his 2017 debut.
Opening with Sibelius’ Violin Concerto in D minor, I was reminded of a masterclass given by Maxim Vengerov many years ago in which he compared the violin opening to an eagle soaring high over the vast swathes of the Finnish countryside. Tonight, Hadelich was that eagle, soaring high in the Concertgebouw, surveying all in his midst.
From the outset, the RCO matched each changing colour superbly with a sound that was never forced. Deep, dark and menacing brass and woodwind colours in the orchestral tutti continued this theme. But Hadelich’s ability to draw an audience into his world really sets him apart. The cadenza, ending with an open G telling a thousand tales, captivated the hall. I sat transfixed. The precision and economy in his playing was a joy, with a tremendous bow arm and relaxed left hand.
An unexpectedly short note to conclude the Allegro however, was a nod to possible storms ahead. The Adagio had some beautiful touches, but the length of line and intensity from the orchestral accompaniment wavered. All felt too heavy. Uncertainty continued in the Allegro where an unusually aggressive timpani rhythm from the outset (played on hard sticks and far exceeding the “pp marcato” instruction) proved a distraction to the intensity and virtuosity of the solo violin. Hadelich seemed unphased and certainly relished his time in an acoustic, hugely sympathetic to the solo violin. He finished with one of his own arrangements, the delightfully quirky Orange Blossom Special – quite a treat.