- Vladimir Spivakov
I went to see this string orchestra under Vladimir Spivakov at the Barbican on Wednesday. Programme was Shostakovich, Britten and Tchaikowsky. As well as the encores – all four of them! Very good playing. Sections sounded like one player and individual soloists were good as well.
Shostakovich Chamber Symphony – well, I love playing Shostakovich. Such wonderful shifting harmony and dissonance, with beautiful melodic lines reaching out in angst. Unfortunately I fell asleep during this one and don’t remember it much.
Britten Les Illuminations – they brought out tenor Toby Spence for this one. It was good and I didn’t fall asleep. Spence was animated without compromising musicianship and the balance between strings and singer was just right. Had no idea what the words were about though.
Shostakovich Prelude and Scherzo – this was a bit livelier than the Chamber Symphony so I didn’t fall asleep. Very angry! But still not his best and I think this would have worked better as the intended octet.
Tchaikowsky Serenade for String Orchestra – fantastic. Captured the moods of the movements perfectly without any rough edges. I think I played this at a rehearsal with West Herts Strings once, but it was too hard to contemplate performing.
So the concert programme itself was quite good. They then did FOUR encores. Now it wasn’t like the audience was screaming for more although we were of course appreciative. They brought a random oboist out – don’t know the name, and my mum and I are in disagreement as to if it was a woman or a man! – mid-length blond hair with a hairband. I thought it was a bloke but my mum said he and Spivakov did the hug-kiss thing. Anyway – he/she was very good, I didn’t catch the name of the two pieces. The first was beautiful and the second was fast with a lot of double-tonguing! Impressive and I don’t listen to enough oboe solo music. Played well it is a thing of beauty.
The orchestra then played Piazzolla’s Libertango excellently – good rhythm and harmony came through. Would have been a good way to finish off. But no they had to do Brahms’s Hungarian Dance No. 5 as a crowd pleaser. Which it most definitely was but I think the clapping lowered the class of the occasion a little! The arrangement gave the seconds and violas a bit more to do in the main sections, but the major section was taken a bit too aggressive for my liking.
We left to get the last fast train home as he was proceeding to shake the hands of all 21 players. There could have been more encores for all we know!
Good – excellent playing. Faultless to my ears.
Bad – was a bit put off at the three-to-a-stand set up in the violins. Maybe that’s just me! Too many encores.
8/10
