Hong Kong Phil revels in Schoenberg’s beefed-up Brahms

Although Brahms never managed to pen an opera, some of his instrumental writing is operatic to the core. One such example, central to the Adagio of his Double Concerto in A minor, is the veritable “love duet” between violin and cello. Opening with this concerto on Thursday evening, the Hong Kong Philharmonic avoided flying in soloists from afar and featured two key players of their own instead; Chinese-born, Canadian-raised Concertmaster Jing Wang and British Principal Cellist Richard Bamping. Under Chinese Principal Guest Conductor Long Yu's deft direction, it proved an impressive display of musical poise and virtuosity.

Bamping’s opening cello recitativo exuded reassuring warmth in its earthy tone. Wang’s initial edginess was only fleeting, and when it came to his turn in the spotlight, he too impressed with an equally cultivated, full sound that both carried to the balconies and blended homogeneously with Bamping. Their tender take on that quasi operatic duet at the core of the Adagio was clearly heartfelt and a strong indication that both players have had ample experience in playing chamber music together.

Technical prowess was largely a given in the folk-like Vivace non troppo finale and, aside from a few slips and muffled entries that didn’t quite speak, it was a romp clearly enjoyed by both the orchestra and plenty of enthusiastic local supporters in the hall.

Schoenberg’s hit and miss attempt at remaining true to Brahms’ symphonic style in his beefy arrangement of the Piano Quartet in G minor followed the break. Although Brahms’ rang stylistically true in the wonderfully passionate surges that Long Yu extracted from the strings in the opening Allegro's transformation of the four-note motif, the cymbal crashes later on – all executed with a precision that was well in keeping with the brilliant percussion contributions later on – felt strangely out of place. Otto Klemperer was a huge fan of Schoenberg's orchestration though. After premiering the score in 1938 he declared, “You can’t even hear the original quartet, so beautiful is the arrangement!” 

The Intermezzo that followed – Brahms’ quasi fine-tuned replacement for the Scherzo over time – had both an infectious urgency that stemmed from a strong rhythmic chug in the second violins as well as wonderful sighs of melancholy throughout. Long Yu visibly milked the rich, radiant string sound in the more Brahms-like Andante con moto, before the whole “band” got to revel in the ensuing military-like central section that came with bass drum, triangle and all the trimmings.

It would all have been a stretch in 1861, but there was no going back. The “Brahms makeover” only escalated in the exhilarating “Gypsy Rondo” finale, complete with tubular bells, xylophone and the peppering of Jewish Klezmer in Andrew Simon’s colourful clarinet solo.