Conductor: Marc Taddei
Soloist: Ilya Gringolts
For a concert in which nationalism and internationalism featured strongly, John Psathas’s Luminous was a fitting work to begin with. Commissioned as a “Century Fanfare” by the Auckland Philharmonic Orchestra in 1998, Psathas says the work was composed in reflection of the last thousand years, namely, in awe of the phenomena of global travel. The orchestra captured the enormity of the work magnificently, the colour palette successfully evoking the reflective magnificence Psathas intended.
Prokofiev wrote his Violin Concerto No. 2 in G minor at a time when international travel was becoming far more accessible. Written in Paris, Voronezh, and Baku, and with the first performance given in Madrid, the history of the formation of this work seems to perfectly embody Psathas’s reflections. Russian violinist Ilya Gringolts performed the work with great drive and virtuosity. His playing was both delicate and energetic, holding the audience spellbound for the entirety of the work. The orchestra supported Gingolts effectively, and handled the abundance of performance techniques with great skill. That such a world-renowned performer was attracted to Dunedin says a lot about the high quality of the Dunedin Symphony Orchestra.
Sibelius’s Symphony No. 2 in D major concluded the concert at an equally high standard. While many listeners struggle with Sibelius’s tendency to establish motivic connections very slowly, there is no denying the genius of the gradual piecing together of material. The work evokes images of the pastoral life of the contemporary Finnish people, but also holds lighter images of the Mediterranean, where many of the ideas of the work were conceptualised. Sibelius demands the listener’s attention as he moves through the first three movements, introducing and developing fragments, until finally allowing them to truly soar in the final movement. The orchestra, under the baton of Marc Taddei, successfully captured this, showing true understanding of the overall cohesion of the work, while effectively mastering Sibelius’s frequently interrupting passionate outbursts. Overall, it was a splendid programme of music, and a well-informed, superbly executed performance.