Georgian pianist Khatia Buniatishvili recently released an album including two Mozart piano concertos, with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields. The same two concertos were billed as the centrepiece of tonight’s concert, launching Buniavishvili’s Artist Spotlight at the Barbican. In the event, Piano Concerto no. 20 in D minor was dropped from the programme, replaced by Mendelssohn’s The Hebrides Overture, and it was just the Piano Concerto no. 23 in A major that we heard.
Directed from violin by Benjamin Marquise Gilmore, the ASMF opened with a fine rendition of Mozart’s overture to Don Giovanni. With a healthy string sound and warm woodwinds and brass, this fizzed along with great energy. Rapid articulation in the very quick Allegro was tight, and accents were firm but never aggressive.
Buniatishvili’s Mozart was somewhat mystifying, and certainly very individual. Virtuosic accuracy was there when needed, although there was such a light touch to the rapid runs that definition was muddied. Entries were often anticipated, while almost every solo section slowed up drastically, the orchestra having to ramp up the tempo every time they rejoined. The sound was not without beauty, with some very quiet playing too, but her soft-focussed over-pedalling in solos was completely at odds with the articulation produced when with the orchestra, almost like there were two different soloists at times. The to-ing and fro-ing of tempi in the slow movement was so extreme that even the orchestra struggled to maintain the pulse towards the end. The finale was taken at a phenomenal pace – hats off to Principal Bassoon, Julie Price, for an impressive solo. But again, piano entries were premature, then slowed up, running counter to the playful and energetic tempo that had been set up, with Mozart’s voice in danger of losing out.
As an encore, we had Debussy’s Clair de lune, in another very individual interpretation. Incredibly slow in places, rapid elsewhere, with more soft-focussed pianissimi – an atmospheric but extreme take. If you’d never heard the piece, it was a beautiful sound – but Debussy?
The Hebrides was a welcome delight. Barely needing direction, the ASMF performed with a chamber feel, maintaining the pulse instinctively, particularly evident in the later section, where woodwinds and brass took turns interjecting phrases over the strings, always in perfect place, and the final pages had a suitably wild energy.
That lively energy carried over into their performance of Haydn’s Symphony no. 104 in D major, “London”. After the defiantly authoritative opening and quiet introduction, once the bright Allegro got going, the fizz exploded. Dynamic contrasts, energy flowing from Gilmore to the orchestra, and precise, confident solos from all sections injected lively spirit throughout. Poise and elegance contrasted with the Sturm und Drang tuttis of the second movement, and the Minuet had a pacy, rustic feel. They allowed themselves a holding back at the start of each Trio entry, not in the score, but effective in adding to the sense of dance. Then the finale took off from the opening drone, and continued at an exciting pace, building to a positively electric conclusion. We even had an orchestral encore, with principal flautist Michael Cox taking the lead in Sibelius’ Nocturne from his Belshazzar’s Feast. Shimmering violins, gently throbbing violas and cellos and rich low clarinets, but the star of the show here was definitely the haunting tone of Cox, a delightful end to an evening of strong performances from the ASMF.
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