Mozart’s Eine kleine Nachtmusic as it stands, shorn of its missing Minuet, is in effect a chamber symphony. The Royal Northern Sinfonia, directed with clarity and aplomb from the first desk by Jonathan Martindale, played it as such. More usually relegated to single movements on popular classical radio stations, it was a rare pleasure to hear it in its entirety. The orchestra were spread across most of the stage such that Mozart’s contrapuntal twists and turns, rug-pulling harmonic shifts and operatic teasers (he was writing Don Giovanni at the time) were more apparent than usual. An assured, original, affectionate and joyful performance.
Next the orchestra was joined by French pianist David Fray, RNS principals Jonathan Martindale (violin) and Fred Paixao (flute) for Bach’s Fifth Brandenburg Concerto. Leaving aside any discussion of the appropriateness of the piano to Bach’s music, the timbre of this particular instrument failed to gel with the strings, seeming at times too bright and strident, especially in the right-hand, and at others to be blurred by pedal, Fray’s right foot fairly constantly in motion. Outer movements were taken at breakneck speed with a corresponding loss of clarity and detail, and the tempi at times felt pushed. Paixao’s contributions were sympathetic and beautifully phrased and Martindale’s playing, especially in the slow movement, was particularly sensitive. Overall, I found it rather a disturbing performance, although doubtless that was the idea.
Fray has been compared to Glenn Gould in his sometimes idiosyncratic approach, but says that he would rather aspire to sound like Wilhelm Kempff, who “makes the piano sing and speak”. In the slow movement of Bach’s Keyboard Concerto no. 5 in F minor he did just that, beautifully limpid phrases seemingly hanging in the air above the piano rather than emanating from the piano. The outer movements were again taken at a rapid pace although there was undeniable energy and vigour permeating everything.
Mozart’s Piano Concerto no. 20 in D minor, K466, was darkly atmospheric from the outset with shivering, pianissimo strings. This was a deeply felt interpretation, orchestra and soloist united in concentration. The operatic slow movement was delicately framed, and Fray allowed it to breathe and sing without commentary. The last movement suffered from a rather blurred onset, the “Mannheim Rocket” subject becoming indistinct through pedal and rapidity. The RNS accompanied sensitively and coherently, natural trumpets adding a welcome period timbre to the orchestral second subject. As an encore, Fray played the Aria from the Goldberg Variations with an exquisite sense of pace, the ornamentation elegantly phrased.
Fray is recognised to be a highly accomplished musician with a virtually flawless technique and much to say that is new. This was music-making that was full of intellectual argument, iconoclastic and provocative. If this wasn’t always comfortable listening, that was almost certainly not the point, but to challenge our understanding of this core repertoire by advancing his ideas in tandem with those of the composer, always with respect, and with obvious love.
