Czech Music Festival RFH 20 & 29 January

Philharmonia/Jirí Belohlávek

JANÁCEK Sinfonietta
MOZART Piano Concerto No. 23, K488 (Zoltan Kocsis - piano)
DVORÁK Symphony No. 9, From the New World

DVORÁK Violin Concerto (Midori - violin); Symphony No. 7 in D minor

In the first of these two concertsBetween memorably satisfying performances of the Janacek Sinfonietta and Dvorak's all too often played New World symphony was interposed Mozart's K 488 in A at RFH, sandwiched there for no obvious or good reason - programming by committee? Zoltan Kocsis brought to my ears no special flair nor individual interest in his well-turned account of it, almost an autopilot journey over too familiar terrain. The Janacek, with its extravagant scoring, needed control of a veritable army and Jirí Belohlávek marshalled his stereophonically placed extra trumpets, bass trumpets and euphoniums with aplomb - this really is a work that makes the skin tingle heard live by such a confident orchestra with no weak links in regulars or extras.

The second concert was similarly a little flawed in its programming, though less seriously. There seemed no good reason, apart from its popularity, balancing the less secure status of the concerto, and a symphony which was not from the New World, for beginning with the Bartered Bride overture, which showed the orchestra's paces, specifically that they can play fast and all together.

This overplayed overture is best left to be enjoyed now and again, best in the opera where it belongs. A Dvorak concert overture, ideally In nature's realm, would have been a far more appropriate hors d'oeuvre and a foil to the relatively gentle violin concerto, which received an outing which belied its poor reputation. Midori was totally committed, her tone gorgeous and in complete command of the exposed passage work. The balance too, not artificially enhanced by microphone manipulation, was ideal and this was a live concerto experience of a high order.

Nor was the symphony, Dvorak's most serious and, at times, darkest a let down. It contrasted well with the more extravert New World, heard the previous week, and the influence of Brahms and too, Wagner, was brought out in the rich saturated collective tone, with the strings always carrying the main thrust of the argument. A Philharmonia concert which left you on a high to face the winter weather.