Wigmore Hall, London
Schubert was born on 31 January 1797, and celebrations of his birthday are an annual feature at the Wigmore Hall. This year, the spotlight fell on his two great, late piano trios, B flat D898 and E flat D929. They were played not by an established piano trio but by three outstanding young soloists: violinist Alina Ibragimova, cellist Alban Gerhardt and pianist Steven Osborne.
Yet this constellation of talent proved to be less than the sum of the parts. Gerhardt and Osborne may be an established duo, but before this concert (which they gave in Reading the previous evening) the three had apparently never played as a trio ? although, seeing as they all record for the same label, this is unlikely to have been their last appearance together. These most demanding pieces need more preparation than such busy musicians are likely to be able to fit in to their schedules.
There was something provisional about the performances ? a brisk efficiency, rather than the searching breadth late Schubert demands. The tension was of the wrong kind, as if no one was sure what their colleagues would do next. All three produced remarkable work: Ibragimova's wonderful range of colour and her breathtaking pianissimo; Gerhardt's much more matter-of-fact cello sound but utterly secure musicianship; Osborne's bright, forward pianism, its articulation crystal clear. In years to come, this concert may well be remembered as the starting point for one of the great piano trios of our time; for now, the partnership is still very much under construction.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/feb/02/ibragimova-gerhardt-osborne-live-review
Higher education England cricket team Soap opera Iran Christmas Northern Ireland
No comments:
Post a Comment