Review: Tognetti’s Mozart (Australian Chamber Orchestra)
The Australian Chamber Orchestra, under Tognetti’s direction, seems to excel in whichever direction it chooses to go, whether it be within the traditional realm or accompanying Diana Krall early next month. This programme is arguably the best selection of repertoire I have seen from the critically acclaimed ensemble – rivalled only by Barry Humphries’ clever choice to include Marcel Poot when he appeared with the orchestra late last year. The quartets by Schubert and Grieg, in their orchestral arrangements, exhibit the thick texture which can be expressed within four-part composition while also showing the frequent frailty of string melody. It is certainly nothing new to compliment the skillful use of dynamics, but the Chamber Orchestra never fails to amaze with its sensitive and comprehensive understanding of dynamics and musical expression.
The three accompanying pieces to Mozart’s 4th Violin Concerto, being more collaborative in nature, express an antithesis to Tognetti’s solo performance. However, Grieg’s string quartet, as wonderful a composition as it is, runs a little long as the final piece in a performance centered around the Violin Concerto. However, for a programme which focussed on the solo performance of its artistic director, perhaps the Grieg could have taken the place of the Mozart, closing the first act, allowing the title piece to then open the second; though other reviewers have chosen not to focus on the piece, the Mozart Violin Concerto, as the feature, is indeed the pinnacle of this tour.
The nature of a string instrument is that as notes go up the fingerboard, the physical space between grows smaller and smaller, and this is seen in great effect on the small fingerboard of the violin. The precision required to play the upper register of Mozart’s concerto at such speed highlights Tognetti’s undoubted proficiency at his instrument, pulling off intricate passages with virtuosity and flair. There is still something visible in Tognetti’s performance which separates Richard Tognetti artistic director with Richard Tognetti violinist, and while his self-confidence may seem slightly excessive, it allows him the separation of his two roles which such a programme requires. Tognetti has stepped out on a limb, not only by programming a concert which draws all eyes to him, but by choosing a piece which requires such proficiency and musicality as a solo musician; at times branching out into an ornamented cadenza (which, it must be said, was the pinnacle of the performance) and at others, resting back in the pocket of violins to rejoin the ensemble.
While he must, of course, be commended on his individual talent, the gracious way in which he constructed a program to feature the string instrument above and beyond his own talents must also be expressed. He is an artistic director first, and a soloist second, which seems to be the very heart of the group; a sort of communal appreciation for one another as parts to a well-tuned whole.
SCHUBERT – Quartettsatz
MOZART - Violin Concerto No. 4
HAYDN - Symphony No. 46
GRIEG (arr. Tognetti) – String Quartet in G minor
The last showing of Tognetti’s Mozart is on the 21st of Feb, Sydney Opera House
For more information, visit: http://www.aco.com.au/
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