Germany Mozart: Sabine Devieilhe (soprano), Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra / Maxim Emelyanychev (conductor). Livestreamed from Philharmonie Berlin, considered on the Digital Concert Hall, 29.10.2022. (GT)
Mozart – Le nozze di Figaro Ok.497: Overture; ‘Oiseaux, si tous les ans’, arietta, Ok.307; Idomeneo, Ok. 366: ‘Zeffiretti lusinghieri’, Ilia’s aria; Serenade in D main, Ok.239 ‘Serenata notturno’; Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Ok.384, Konstanze’s aria; Cantata, Ok.427, ‘Et incarnatus est’; Symphony No. 38 in D main, Ok.504 ‘Prague’
In latest live performance seasons, audiences have been blessed by the excellent skills of the conductors that we’ve got in Scotland. I keep in mind Thomas Søndergård and Elim Chan on the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and the younger Russian Maxim Emelyanychev on the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Last season Søndergård made his debut with this world-class orchestra, and tonight it was the flip of ‘our’ Maxim Emelyanychev in a programme a lot just like these he commonly directs in Scotland.
The opening of the Le nozze di Figaro overture was thrilling with the Russian conductor taking a super-fast tempo – surprisingly, I recall Yevgeny Mravinsky directing this piece on the identical barnstorming tempo! The pace didn’t upset the Berlin Philharmonic’s musicians, and it was pretty to see how they had been relishing the efficiency. The orchestra had been seated in a decent semi-circle across the conductor. Emelyanychev was consistently guiding the move of the music along with his fingers and gesticulating fingers and thru his eyes – capturing a hypnotic connection along with his musicians. Without utilizing a rostrum, his power was fascinating and satisfying to observe as he uncovered all of the pleasant colors of Mozart’s rating.
In the pre-concert interviews, I used to be shocked that Emelyanychev and the French soprano Sabine Devieilhe stated they’d not labored collectively earlier than. Emelyanychev stated that this debut live performance with the Berlin Philharmonic was ‘interesting as it is [always] different with every orchestra, I saw this orchestra first on video tapes, and also when they later came to Moscow, and when I am in Germany I come to hear them.’ He thought {that a} distinct high quality of the orchestra is, ‘there is great communication between the musicians.’ The Russian stated that for him the Mozart programme was particular, as a result of when he was singing in a boys’ choir, they gave him a nickname of ‘Mozart’. ‘There is so much flowing in his music, it’s [written] in several kinds’. Devieilhe, who was additionally making her debut right here in Berlin, stated that her efficiency was distinctive due to the ‘fluidity of the programme, and she pointed out that in the ‘Et incarnatus est’ from the Cantata, ‘there was a wonderful dialogue with the woodwind.’
In her opening arietta, ‘Oiseaux, si tous les ans’, the Russian accompanied persuasively on the harpsichord as Devieilhe sang along with her superbly expressive and delicate soprano. In the second aria, she moved to the entrance of the stage to sing Ilia’s aria from Idomeneo ‘Fluttering zephyrs…oh so gentle’ with the orchestra now taking part in a softly light pianissimo in a passage of full concord with the sleek perfume of Mozart’s rating.
The conductor left the stage for the orchestra to play ‘Serenata notturno’ with the chief Krzysztof Polonek introducing the opening dramatic Marcia, adopted by the Menuetto, with the music-making led by the quartet of Polonek and Christophe Horák on violins, Naoko Shimizu on viola and Janne Saksala on double bass all contributing to a charmingly harmonious passage, with particularly nice virtuosity from Polonek. The Rondo was distinguished by great string taking part in, and closed, not with out humour, on the timpani of Wieland Wetzel.
Konstanze’s aria from Die Entführung aus dem Serail, ‘Ach, ich liebte’ was splendidly portrayed by Devieilhe in full character along with her half, and capturing the difficult excessive Cs effortlessly, supported nicely by the beautiful accompaniment by Emelyanychev and the orchestra. The soprano moved again into the orchestra for ‘Et incarnatus est’ from Mozart’s Cantata, now singing in Latin – the fourth language of her efficiency – but shifting into the character with none bother. Her singing was charming and there have been very good solos from the oboe of Wenzel Fuchs and the flute forming a dialogue with the soprano.
In the ‘Prague’ Symphony – as he typically does in Glasgow along with his SCO – Emelyanychev began conducting the opening Adagio – Allegro motion earlier than the applause had stopped by immediately starting the virtually demonic opening bars, after which rapidly switching to an elegiac passage with Emelyanychev conjuring pleasant play from the woodwinds and engaging daring strokes from the timpani in a build-up in drama heralding the splendidly sleek singing theme on the strings. Immediately shifting to the second motion (Andante) in a passage of gorgeous string taking part in, there was a sequence of noble intonation from the elegiac flutes and bassoons.
In the Presto finale, impelled ferociously by the conductor, the energetic flutes and horns had been as if taking part in for his or her lives. Emelyanychev evinced the demonic type of Mozart’s writing – and imparted by his power and fixed motion on stage – his dynamic temperament summoned dramatic thuds on the timpani, heralding a terrific, thrilling climax. Notable options of this live performance had been the viewers applauding between the actions, which seldom occurs at Berlin Philharmonic live shows, though it was a function throughout this yr’s Musikfest. As in Glasgow, it appears the Russian overwhelms his listeners with the sheer emotion and pleasure of his music-making. It was a outstanding debut for Emelyanychev and can result in extra invites from this nice orchestra.
Gregor Tassie