MIDDLESBROUGH Town Hall began its classical concert series with a performance by the Vienna Tonkunstler Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of the youthful Kristjan Jarvi, son of famous Neeme Jarvi.
The programme opened with a dynamic account of HK Gruber's Charivari, which is based on the motif from Strauss' perpetuum mobile. After a witty opening, with tunes thrown with wild abandon between instruments, the score gradually disintegrates into a pandemonium of sound. Yet, under the adept guidance of Jarvi, the fractured soundscape maintained an underlying order, which was brought back to the fore with an exquisite conclusion.
Where his father would get by with a stoic twitch of an eyebrow, Jarvi throws his whole body into the task of conducting. His infectious zeal filtered down in a superb rendition of Mahler's Blumkine. A highlight of the evening was an appearance by 20-year-old Japanese pianist Ayako Uehara, who displayed a brilliant technical command playing Richard Strauss' less familiar Burleske for piano and orchestra. Her strong and nimble fingers gave a razor sharp articulation of the score, perhaps too sharp at times. But then her bright interpretation served to convey the youthful impetuosity of Strauss, who composed the work when only 22.
The evening was rounded off with a refined account of Beethoven's Eroica, with a particularly poignant funeral march and romping presto.
Published: 19/10/2004
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