Concert Hall, QPAC
22nd Oct-23rd Oct 2021
Conductor Johannes Fritzsch
Soloist Konstantin Shamray, piano
LISZT Concerto No.1 in E at for Piano & Orchestra
- Allegro maestoso
- Quasi adagio - Allegretto vivace
- Allegro marziale animato
TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No.6 in B minor, Op.74 (Pathétique)
I. Adagio – Allegro non troppo
II. Allegro con grazia
III. Allegro molto vivace
IV. Finale (Adagio lamentoso – Andante)
Dr Gemma Regan
Shamray’s playing was exquisite and the antiphonal arrangement enhanced the interplay between the strings
The Queensland Symphony Orchestra have continued to adapt their concerts with the changing COVID rules and lockdowns, with the anticipated performance of the postponed concert Breathtaking Tchaikovsky. French horn player and QSO cover girl for the 2021 programme, Lauren Manuel, introduced the concert with a flourish and passed the QSO 2022 programme cover girl reins over to violist Nicole Greentree.
Manuel introduced Liszt's Concerto No.1 in E, mentioning that the beginning of the Allegro maestoso was reminiscent of the evil Gargamel’s theme from the Smurfs animation. Which indeed it was, hearing from the QSO musicians is always fascinating as they are laden with interesting titbits! It was a rousing and almost intimidating opening to the concert with the childhood memory of the terrifying Gargamel in mind!
Liszt’s Concerto No. 1 was composed over twenty-six years, finally premiering in 1855 with the composer as the soloist. Due to the change in date due to Covid lockdowns, the originally advertised pianist Piers Lane was instead replaced by the much sought after Konstantin Shamray.
Shamray made history in 2008 when he won both the First Prize at the Sydney International Piano Competition and the People’s Choice Prize, in addition to six other prizes. He now lectures in Piano at the Elder Conservatorium of Music, University of Adelaide. Shamray was already scheduled to play in the Southern Cross Soloists final concert, Heavenly Life so he was a fortuitous addition.
The orchestra was in a more unusual antiphonal seating arrangement, as suggested by the QSO’s Principal Conductor, Johannes Fritzsch who was back in pole-position. The arrangement creates the sound as if the instruments, particularly the strings, were “conversing” with one another. With the double basses over to the left, swapped with the French horns and the first and second violins separated between the cellos and violas in centre stage, the sound was surprisingly different with a lot less bass.
Shamray stunned the audience with the finesse of his elegantly long arms and a mighty hand span, he was an impressive sight at the piano. Poker-backed and hardly moving, his fingers fluidly flew up and down the keyboard, as if separate from the body.
Another musical highlight of the concerto was the triangle, featuring a repeating mocking motif throughout the second movement. Liszt's piano concerto was often derided and sarcastically renamed the triangle concerto, as at the time, highlighting the percussion section was considered crass.
Shamray’s playing was exquisite and the antiphonal arrangement enhanced the interplay between the strings. A few audience members were dabbing their eyes in appreciation whilst most were raucously applauding.
Tchaikovsky’s melancholic Symphony No.6 is known originally as the ‘Passionate’ symphony and posthumous performances as ‘Pathétique,’ after he shuffled off the mortal coil with cholera only nine days after conducting at the opening night in St Petersburg. Tchaikovsky acknowledged that it was the best thing he had composed out of his massive body of works including six symphonies, three piano concertos, a violin concerto, ten operas, many orchestral works and chamber music compositions, and not forgetting his three much-loved ballets. He viewed his last concerto as encapsulating the ultimate essence of the symphony, as Life.
Each of the four movements could symbolise Tchaikovsky's maelstrom of emotions at the time of composition. The Adagio starts with a creeping bassoon resolving into a sweet oaky clarinet. With a flourish of Fritzsch’s baton, the violent violins may have represented Tchaikovsky's impulsive passion and confidence. The Allegro seemed to ooze joy and a love of life with a Straussian-type waltz metered by a metronomic double bass. The third movement is more militaristic, perhaps representative of Tchaikovsky’s achievements, with a proud brassy march. Fritszch bounced along on the podium until the dramatic false end, which despite being pre-warned some audience members still clapped pre-emptively. The fourth movement, the true Finale, drips with pathos and lamentation, you can almost hear Tchaikovsky crying out in anguish through the orchestra giving rise to the name Pathétique, after his untimely death at the age of 53 shortly after the premiere.
It was indeed Breathtaking Tchaikovsky, matched well with Liszt and was worth the wait, with the bonus of Shamray’s incredible skill and talent.