Peter Martens, Bernhard Gueller – Shaun Crawford Dvořák Tchaikovsky #ConcertReview

Reviewed by Andy Wilding

Conductor: Bernhard Gueller
Soloist: Peter Martens
Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra, City Hall Thursday 16 June 2016

Shaun Crawford – Overture
The opening is enticing – flutes trill enchantingly over a soft bed of strings that blushes in Debussiesque tones. The pastoral air is thick with magic and the promise of exciting adventures to come. A show-piece of Crawford’s talent as a film and symphonic composer, Overture is a resolutely successful journey full of optimism and idealism. It was originally conceived to inspire young musicians, and as such it was well placed on National Youth Day. Crawford encourages international film-makers to take advantage of the Rand by completing their scores in Cape Town, with our world class musicians and production facilities. Examples of his work can be found on SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/sdalecrawford

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Peter Martens and Bernhard Gueller after performing the Dvořák cello concerto with the CTPO

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Dvořák – Cello Concerto
Martens has an innate ability to communicate through his instrument. Far beyond technique, he plays “with the blood”. The composer’s intentions seem to make sense to him as a fluent language spoken by his cello, expressing states of being, emotions, states of mind, thoughts, and sensations. His performance was an exploration of the mind and soul of the concerto, delivered in the sheer beauty of his phrasing and clear understanding of line.

Beneath all this, Martens walks on the solid ground of polished fundamentals, which shine in astonishing octave runs, soaring projection over the orchestra at full gallop, and hummingbird trills that hover for a while and then shoot off to another chord note. His pronunciation of staccato consonants and legato vowels is effortless. Vibrato is like a column of incense smoke – beginning strait and undulating as it accelerates.

Dramatic colours emanated from Gueller’s pallet, and the CTPO responded with distinction. The full tutti entry in the adagio was sudden and frightening, immaculate, totally in unison. Alluring solos by concert master Suzanne Martens and Caroline Prozesky horn.

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Bernhard Gueller’s final upbeat of the Tchaikovsky 5th Symphony with the CTPO

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Tchaikovsky – Symphony no. 5
Over the last two decades of this writer’s experience, the manner of applauding at the City Hall has passed through a number of behavioural changes. In the mid 1990s it was fashionable to stamp ones feet while clapping, almost like a drum roll. The effect was rather a pleasing roar, above which could be heard applause and one or two whistles. In the last two years (the duration of this review) the City Hall audience has been reserved to clapping and occasionally standing up. That mould was gleefully smashed after the symphony last Thursday, by elated cheering and a full house standing ovation for Maestro Gueller and the CTPO.

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A full house standing ovation for Maestro Gueller and the CTPO after Tchaikovsky 5

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Conducting from memory, Gueller delivered an inspired, beautifully phrased performance that portrayed a sensitive and intelligent interpretation. He is a master of dynamics, seeming to nod or shake his head to indicate for a section to play piano or forte, with stunning effect. The composer’s beloved wind section featured excellent solos, and horns were exceptional in their pianissimo triplets. Exemplary ensemble playing by principles Brandon Phillips bassoon, Sergei Burdukov oboe, and Gabriele von Dürckheim flute. Mesmerising solos by Caroline Prozesky horn and Daniel Prozesky clarinet.

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Shaun Crawford, Louis Heyneman, Bernhard Gueller, and Peter Martens after the concert

Next week the CTPO returns with Conductor Daniel Boico and pianist François du Toit:

 

Christo Jankowitz – Revelation

Schumann – Piano Concerto

Saint-Saëns – Symphony no.3 featuring Erik Dippenaar organ

 

BOOK NOW AT COMPUTICKET OR ARTSCAPE DIAL-A-SEAT: 021 421 7695

David Juritz Beethoven String Quartets #ConcertReview

Reviewed by Andy Wilding

Cape Town Concert Series hosted amazing musicians David Juritz, Suzanne Martens, Karen Gaertner, and Peter Martens for an evening of Beethoven string quartets.
Baxter Concert Hall Saturday 21 May 2016

I love the intensity in a chamber performance. A quartet is really four soloists playing together – each instrumentalist being the soloist for their part. There is no-where to hide. It requires four highly achieving musicians who not only have virtuosic ability in their instrument, but who also have the emotional maturity to relinquish the solo ego in favour of the sound that the composer intended. Last Saturday we were granted an audience with such a quartet. They consulted internationally recognised Beethoven expert Stewart Young, and delivered an exceptional performance of balance and insight.

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David Juritz violin, Suzanne Martens violin, Karen Gaertner viola, Peter Martens cello

String Quartet in C minor Op.18 No.4
Creating tangible tension from the first phrase, Juritz’s mellow melody contrasted excitingly with Martens’ agitated continuo. The hard acoustic of the venue projected the tiniest movement of hair on string, encouraging the quartet to push the extremity of their pianissimo dynamic right down to a feather touch. Phrasing was beautiful, balance exquisite, and tempo fearless in the final Allegro.
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Louise Howlett introducing the String Quartet in F major op 135, where they demonstrated the two phrases “Must it be?” and “It must be”.

String Quartet in F major Op.135
It is understandable if some thought Beethoven was going mad towards the end of his repertoire. Even compared to modern geniuses like Shostakovich and Stravinsky, Beethoven bent rules alarmingly, at a time when his audience was barely able to keep up with Haydn! Phrases are interrupted; melodies change from crochets to semiquavers back to crotches; there are spaces of astonishing nothingness filled with wonder; and existential mantras of being, that seem to describe the harmonic mechanics of the Cosmos. Surely these later works were “Conversations with God”, centuries before Neale Donald Walsch learned to write. To my ears, the quartet made such sense of Beethoven’s mystical final work, so that – far beyond the reflection of their own interpretive skill – they resurrected his essence and spoke his mind for all to hear. Beethoven doesn’t live any more, doesn’t walk and slam doors and shout and notate the Universe, but he exists in performances such as this. I was not alone in my philosophy, next to me I heard an audience member during the applause: “It’s so wonderful to be at a concert like this. Everyone is transported into a very special time and space.”
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David Juritz, Suzanne Martens, Karen Gaertner, Peter Martens

String Quartet in C major Op.59 No.3
This was a great example of four virtuosos on stage. The performance was recordable, with exciting moments of seamlessness as Martens’ cello finished Juritz’s violin runs. The unison playing was impeccable. The coda in the last movement is extended, building almost to climax, then receding, gathering more energy, then building again. The quartet sustained intensity without losing momentum, and the resulting suspense was riveting.

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FOM Soirée – Rachmaninov Mendelssohn #ConcertReview

Reviewed by Andy Wilding

Artists:

Bryan Wallick piano, Peter Martens cello, David Juritz violin, Suzanne Martens violin, Janna Thomas violin, Matthew Stead violin, Karin Gaertner viola, Emile de Roubaix viola, Marian Lewin cello, Barbara Kennedy cello, Eddie McLean cello, Cheryl de Havilland cello, Dane Coetzee cello

Old Mutual House, Saturday 14 May 2016

The soirèe was an initiative of the Friends of Orchestral Music in Cape Town, an annual event.

The histories of ancient Egypt, Sumer, India, and China, all describe a situation that persisted into the courts of western Europe and the modern age: fine culture thrives in the ideal environment where society places a high value on supporting the arts.

The perfection of high art and music has always thrived under patronage. Heydays are the result of the ideal social environment that permeated the soirée last Saturday. As it has been for thousands of years, those who are passionate and able attended and gave generously, and in return identified themselves and their organisations with the values of artistic genius. The result of nurturing and acknowledging a system of lofty cultural values may well be another approaching heyday for classical music in Cape Town.

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Rachmaninov – Vocalise
Cello sextet: Peter Martens, Marian Lewin, Barbara Kennedy, Eddie McLean, Cheryl de Havilland, Dane Coetzee

The evening began with a deliciously smooth aperitif, sumptuous and rich like the cream sherry I was offered upon arriving. Originally written for cello and piano, the arrangement for cello sextet by Hans Erik Deckert features beautiful extended voicings and counterpoint. In shades of maroon and violet, Martens’ leading legato meandered heart-tuggingly between billowing velvety curtains of the accompanying quintet.

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Bryan Wallick and Peter Martens after the Rachmaninov Cello Sonata

Rachmaninov – Cello Sonata in G minor
Peter Martens Cello, Bryan Wallick Piano

Entertaining us during the brief scene change, Martens modestly described the imminent work as a piano concerto with cello as accompaniment. His meaning regarding the piano part soon became clear, the wonderful second subject not unlike the second piano concerto op. 18. In fact the sonata was Rachmaninov’s very next work, op. 19 – a beautiful younger sister to the concerto. Wallick’s technique is crisp and sensitive, blending and balancing exquisitely with the cello. The effect was rather like a Renoir – a lovely dreamy hazy impression that on closer inspection reveals articulate precise brush strokes. We certainly were in the presence of two masters. Martens’ cello is one of the most beautiful sounds – a deep rich harmonic wooden stringed singing being. His playing is superb, compassionate elegant phrasing, and flawless technique. His bow knows the exact line between the tender softness and the hard edge, and this extra dimension is masterfully applied to his dynamics. He expresses a full range of emotion, from angst and agitation to acceptance and wisdom.

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From left: David Juritz violin, Suzanne Martens violin, Janna Thomas violin, Matthew Stead violin, Karin Gaertner viola, Emile de Roubaix viola, Peter Martens cello, Dane Coetzee cello

Mendelssohn – Octet in E-flat
David Juritz violin, Suzanne Martens violin, Janna Thomas violin, Matthew Stead violin, Karin Gaertner viola, Emile de Roubaix viola, Peter Martens cello, Dane Coetzee cello

Lest we forgot Mendelssohn’s childhood talent (as I had) we were reminded that he was 16 when he composed this masterpeace. And what a treat it was to hear these pretty, pretty phrases peeling off the stage in real time and total synchronism. With four violins, two violas, and two cellos, it was an incredible demonstration of dynamic variation and clean technique in a large chamber group that could also qualify as a small orchestra. Eight instrumentalists shredding in unison – it’s difficult not to clap after that! And what a contrast in the second movement, shrouded in mist and mystery, ending on the dominant, the Andante is an unspeakable enigma, beautifully captured by these artists as they crossed that ghostly Rubicon into the Gypsy-like Scherzo. One had to wonder how on earth a 16-year-old prodigy could be so worldly – and other-worldly. The octet delivered amazing dialogue between parts, and such a vibrant, dramatic finale – they just went for it, and their accuracy was exhilarating!

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Bryan Wallick returns with violinist Rachel Lee Priday on 11 June for a Winter Matinée by the Cape Town Concert Series at the Baxter Concert Hall. Details here

Peter Martens performs the sublime Dvořák cello concerto, opening the CTPO Winter Symphony Concert Season on June 16. Details here