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Malcolm Arnold Sonatina, Op. 29 Unknowns making their Wigmore Hall debuts - nearing the end of The European Concert Hall Organisation's prestigious international tour, which had taken in Cologne, Brussels, the Carnegie (New York), Mozarteum (Salzburg), Musikverein (Vienna), Symphony Hall (Birmingham) - surely Amsterdamers Céleste Zewald with Jaap Kooi, presented by the Concertgebouw and Palais des Beaux Arts, Brussels, must be good? And indeed so they were - but lamentably few turned out on Easter Saturday afternoon to find out. This was a thoroughly prepared recital with impeccable rapport and split second unanimity of timing between clarinettist and pianist. She is confident and authoritative in taking over the platform, expressive in tonal variety and rhythmic articulation, beautiful to watch playing - mistress of her instrument to world class level of perfection, but reaching London with a relatively modest CV, though with a well filled programme of chamber music engagements in her own country, and a CD to cement longer memory of her place in the illustrious roster of Wigmore Hall newcomers, many of whom became famous. Jaap Kooi, an admirable pianist, was reticent and self effacing in manner, but always prompt and supportive; an experienced accompanist, coaching pianist for accompaniment and chamber music at Amsterdam Conservatory. Malcolm Arnold's vivacious sonatina (1951 - premiered in by Colin Davis; yes, our revered and beloved Sir Colin!) won our confidence and Gade's fantasy pieces were a welcome change from Schumann's; belittled by the programme notes writer - better leave listeners to make up their own minds about unfamiliar music? Robin de Raaff's Chalumeau composed for this tour had the good notion to explore lower registers of clarinet and piano, and confirmed the duo's credentials in contemporary music, but it seemed to lose its way in the middle and failed to sustain initial interest for its 11 mins span. Poulenc's memorial sonata for Honegger is a peak of the clarinet repertoire and received as finely integrated account as you'd ever need to hear, completing a model one-hour recital - at this level comparisons are invidious and redundant! Samples of Céleste Zewald's playing can be heard on her website and a highly recommendable CD of Sonatas by Bernstein, Poulenc and Brahms (F minor) and Schumann's Romances Op.94 with Jaap Kooi (produced as part of the valuable Philip Morris Arts Prize 2002) is available from mailto:info@celestezewald.nl Anika Vavic piano Christophor Miroshnikov cello Regrettably, returning to Wigmore Hall an hour and a half later (not good programme planning) for another one hour recital, the Belgrade pianist Anika Vavic sponsored from Vienna disappointed. Despite boasting a Steinway Competition Prize with a special award for Haydn interpretation, she sounded as if she had transcribed his sonata for modern piano, without ever having listened to a fortepiano or thinking about how to present 18 C music on a Steinway grand. Insensitive throughout, there was some perverse and bizarre false accentuation in the last movement which set the seal on a misconceived interpretation, leaving the hope that things would be better in later piano music. They weren't; tone quality and pedalling were not individuated for her chosen composers. Scriabin was blurred and muddied, and for Prokofiev all her energy and strength seemed to have gone into mastering and memorising the notes. Dispirited by an unrewarding hour, we departed without persuading ourselves to stay for the Greek offering, their programme not one to attract critics, with only one of three items originally for cello. |
Céleste Zewald clarinet