KVT – Mellow Cellos and Dvorak
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Mellow Cellos and Dvorak
“The ’cello is a beautiful instrument, but its place is in the orchestra and in chamber music. As a solo instrument it isn’t much good, I have written a ’cello concerto, but am sorry to this day that I did so, and I never intend to write another.” Thus spoke Anton Dvorak but thank goodness he allowed the world access to his exceptionally emotive Cello Concerto.
As so many of the world’s great cello soloists have proved, the cello is a truly beautiful instrument and when given Dvorak’s cello concerto to shine through, it is in a princely realm.
The Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra gave us a very competent rendition of the concerto with soloist Ngo Hoang Quan giving a very positive interpretation.
As soon as he entered the fray and hacked at the strings (as Dvorak intended) in the first movement you knew that this intensely beautiful concerto was going to be a winner. Although a little pedestrian at times, the orchestra under its marvelous conductor Ong Honna, ironed out minor glitches and by the end of the third movement we were all silently intent as a clarinet soothed through the first movement’s main theme and a solo violin took up the “Leave Me Alone” melody from the second followed by that marvelous cello tenderly reflecting upon the recent death of the composer’s sister-in-law and releasing her soul up to the heavens with a triumphant orchestral crescendo.
Then we had the VNSO proving that it can certainly deal with Dvorak when we heard his extremely happy 8th symphony that was played with relish. And if the first movement didn’t make any Czechs in the audience homesick I’d be surprised, and the last movement would have made anyone proud and celebratory.
Honna singled out the brass and wind sections for special applause which they richly deserved as did the tympanist, the solo violinist and those oh so gorgeous strings.
I can hardly wait for December 29 when we get the VNSO, Glinka, Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov. What a way to wind up 2010!
Not a reviewer, not a critic, “Kiếm Văn Tìm” is an interested, impartial and informed observer and connoisseur of the Hanoi art scene who offers highly opinionated remarks and is part of the long and venerable tradition of anonymous correspondents. Please add your thoughts in the comment field below. |