Concert
MPO, dir. Michael Laus
Manoel Theatre
The concert offered two important works from the German repertoire – Beethoven’s Third Piano Concerto in C Minor and Brahms’ Fourth Symphony in E Minor.
In both works, the dramatic vein prevails, and both were in part inspired by previous works by other great composers.
Moreover, both impose great technical and emotional demands on the performers.
The overall performance was good, in spite of the fact that these works require larger orchestras, especially to strike a balance between brass and strings.
Beethoven’s Third Piano Concerto showed Michael Laus in the dual role of pianist and conductor.
As one might expect, it is quite a challenge for any pianist to conduct while playing, especially a difficult work such as this piano concerto; yet Mro Laus rose to the challenge.
After conducting the long orchestral exposition of the first movement, Allegro con brio, Mro Laus sat at the piano and launched the second exposition, introduced by an ascending scale motif.
The dialogue between the orchestra and the solo instrument continued throughout the development and recapitulation.
In spite of the overall good level of performance, the orchestra sometimes sounded slightly mechanical when Mro Laus was playing instead of conducting, regaining confidence every time he lifted his hands to conduct.
These sections were followed by the pianist’s technically demanding cadenza, building up to the grandiose tutti, both of which were executed very effectively.
The piano opened the second movement, Largo, in the remote key of E major.
This unusually slow 3/8 movement requires very delicate sonorities, making it demanding for pianist and orchestra alike; some finer nuances in tone would in fact have been desirable.
The key of C minor returned in the final movement, Rondo allegro, before accelerating to the Presto coda in C major.
Brahms’ Fourth Symphony, with Mro Laus solely as conductor, started off with Allegro non troppo in the key of E minor.
The theme introduces a chain of descending thirds, using all the notes of the harmonic minor scale.
The speed at which the orchestra played and the dramatic harmonies of the first movement helped to bring out the feeling of unrest required by the composer.
A brief fanfare introduced the second movement, Andante moderato, and the orchestra beautifully played the ensuing melodious theme. The popular third movement, Allegro giocoso, with the joyful sound of the triangle, was also performed very well.
The fourth movement, Allegro energico e passionato, returned to the symphony’s original tragic strain with a set of 32 variations over a ground bass which betray Brahms’ love of baroque music.
These variations grew in intensity until the orchestra reached the final climax, Più allegro. Despite the accurate execution, a greater number of string players would have made the finale more balanced.