Fine solo performance
Garth Wilshere
Wellington Chamber Orchestra
Soloists – Vessa-Matti Leppänen (violin), Diedre Irons (piano), Andrew Joyce (cello), Julia Joyce (viola),
Conductor – Peter van Drimmelen,
St Andrew’s on The Terrace, July 1,
Reviewed by Garth Wilshere.
THIS was conductor Peter van Drimmelen’s last appearance with the orchestra after 26 concerts with them and he chose four top soloists, three NZSO colleagues, Vessa-Matti Leppännen (NZSO Concert Master), Andrew Joyce (NZSO Principal Cello) and Julia Joyce (NZSO Principal Viola), along with pianist Diedre Irons.
Leppännen, Joyce and Irons were soloists in Beethoven’s little performed Triple Concerto, and all three turned in performances, full of nuance and subtlety. Joyce had earlier played Hindemith’s soulful Trauermusik persuasively.
Van Drimmelen also commissioned Ken Young’s short piece “Douce Tristesse to celebrate the orchestra’s 40th anniversary.
The orchestra and conductor seemed to approach it somewhat nervously and consequently they didn’t make the most of it.
The other piece on the programme was Bizet’s L’Arlesienne Suite No. 2 which received a rather brash, coarse and unsubtle performance, with the brass being too dominating and often overwhelming the strings. There was some lovely solo playing however, from the flute player, Andrea Junc, the harpist Michelle Velvin and the saxophone player Sam Jones.
This concert will be remembered for the solo performance by Joyce and fine performance of the Beethoven by the three soloists, rather than the conductor or the orchestra’s contributions.
Soloists – Vessa-Matti Leppänen (violin), Diedre Irons (piano), Andrew Joyce (cello), Julia Joyce (viola),
Conductor – Peter van Drimmelen,
St Andrew’s on The Terrace, July 1,
Reviewed by Garth Wilshere.
THIS was conductor Peter van Drimmelen’s last appearance with the orchestra after 26 concerts with them and he chose four top soloists, three NZSO colleagues, Vessa-Matti Leppännen (NZSO Concert Master), Andrew Joyce (NZSO Principal Cello) and Julia Joyce (NZSO Principal Viola), along with pianist Diedre Irons.
Leppännen, Joyce and Irons were soloists in Beethoven’s little performed Triple Concerto, and all three turned in performances, full of nuance and subtlety. Joyce had earlier played Hindemith’s soulful Trauermusik persuasively.
Van Drimmelen also commissioned Ken Young’s short piece “Douce Tristesse to celebrate the orchestra’s 40th anniversary.
The orchestra and conductor seemed to approach it somewhat nervously and consequently they didn’t make the most of it.
The other piece on the programme was Bizet’s L’Arlesienne Suite No. 2 which received a rather brash, coarse and unsubtle performance, with the brass being too dominating and often overwhelming the strings. There was some lovely solo playing however, from the flute player, Andrea Junc, the harpist Michelle Velvin and the saxophone player Sam Jones.
This concert will be remembered for the solo performance by Joyce and fine performance of the Beethoven by the three soloists, rather than the conductor or the orchestra’s contributions.
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