The concert began with the overture to Mozart’s well known opera Don Giovanni. Then the orchestra had a slight reshuffle with additional players in preparation for the arrival of the violinist Vadim Gluzman to play Brahms’ Violin Concerto.
Born in 1973 in the Ukraine Vadim Gluzman moved to Israel in 1990. Back in Edinburgh he was given a great welcome from those who so well remembered his performance a year ago. He brought with him, held high above him as he came on stage, the Stradivarius violin made as long ago as 1690. The audience was spell bound as it watched and heard one of the most difficult but exciting works in the repertoire for a solo violin and which lasted almost forty minutes. What a terrific performance.
After the interval there came a warning from Peter Oundjian, the conductor, who had appeared holding a microphone. Let it be known that the Vaughan Williams we were about the hear was not the pastoral music we associate with the composer. Far from it, he said, because this marked a dramatic change. It was written in 1934 and whilst the composer never really explained what made him write the symphony many believe the increasing power of the Fascists greatly troubled him, bringing to mind his shocking experiences in the Great War.
Well warned, we heard the four movements of a deep and busy symphony with some memorable playing by the flutes and oboes. But even more notable were the trumpets and glistening trombones. The whole orchestra was enjoying itself all the way to the lone drum beat at the very end.
Yet again there was an almost full house at the Usher Hall for a much appreciated Friday evening concert.
Event: Friday 26 March 2010 7.30 pm