.. Romanian Atheneum - Midnight concerts IL GIARDIONO ARMONICO Conductor: GIOVANNI ANTONINI Soloist: MARIE – CLAUDE CHAPPUIS ... Program: Il Pianto di Maria - Antonio Caldara - Symphony in b minor for strings and b.c. Grave, Allegretto, Allegro assai (Vienna, 1724) - Biagio Marini - Passacalio for strings b.c. (Venice, 1655) - Claudio Monteverdi - Pianto della Madonna sopra il Lamento d’Arianna (Venice, 1640) - Antonio Vivaldi - "Madrigalesco" concert in d minor for strings and b.c. RV 129; Adagio, Allegro, Adagio, [Allegro] - Antonio Vivaldi - Sonata in E flat Major "Al Santo Sepolcro" for strings and b.c. RV 130 Largo molto, Allegro ma poco - Francesco Conti - "Sento già mancar la vita", aria from "Il Martirio di S. Lorenzo" for mezzo, chalumeau and strings (Vienna 1724) - Johann Georg Pisendel - Sonata in c minor for strings and b.c. Largo, Allegro - Sigmund Leopold Weiss - Prelude in E flat Major for lute - Antonio Vivaldi - Symphony in b minor "Al Santo Sepolcro" for strings RV 169; Adagio molto, Allegro ma poco - Giovanni Battista Ferrandini - "Il Pianto di Maria", "Cantata da cantarsi dinanzi al Santo Sepolcro" [wrongly attributed to G.F.Handel (HWV 23) ... ......It was a wonderful night. The concert started at 10:30pm and ended after midnight. But the instrumentists and the great voice of mezzo Marie Claude Chappuis kept us awake on a Sunday night. I'm glad that they came here and I had the chance to get aquaintanced with their music. I'll see them again in November at the Barbican, with Cecilia Bartoli.
Palace Grand Hall Series "Great Orchestras" ORCHESTRE PHILHARMONIQUE DE RADIO FRANCE Conductor: DMITRIJ KITAJENKO Soloist: REMUS AZOITEI - violin ... Program Ibert – Ouverture de féte Enescu - Caprice Roumain for violin and orchestra Stravinsky – "Firebird" ...
......This was an amazing evening. Much better than what I saw the other night. These people really form an orchestra. They sing together, listen to eachother. The brass section was incredible, especially during "Firebird". It was a real pleasure listening to them. During the first part of the concert I stayed at my place. after the interval I went to the upper part of the hall. Even if most of the people think it's better to stay close to the stage, it's not. at least not for symphonic concerts. If you have to choose, go the balcony (or upper part). Perfect view and hearing.
......At the end of the concert Mr Kitajenco received a medal from our Minister of Culture, Mr Paleologu, in the name of the President of the Republic. The same kind of medal that Mr Vengerov received last evening. I don't know the exact translation in English. In Romanian it is Ordinul „Meritul Cultural”, Categoria B (Muzica) in grad de Cavaler. It's a award for the acomplishments of a certain artis given by the institution of Presidency. ......A few more words about this medal, for those interested. There is a certain number of medals that are given for life. When the owner of a medal dies, the place is empty so somebody else can be awarded. More details here.
......These are the foreign artists that received this medal. But the list is not updated. That's all I found. The list stops in 2004. I know that Remus Azoitei received this award in 2005.
...
2003 Kremer, Gidon Pianist (Letonia) 2003 Marzendorfer, Ernst Conductor (Austria) 2003 Mehta, Zubin Conductor (India) 2003 Plasson, Michel Conductor (Franţa) 2003 Văduva, Leontina Soprano (Franţa) 2003 Foster, Lawrence Conductor (SUA) 2003 Cosma, Vladimir Composer, (France) 2004 Grindea, Carola Piano teacher, (Italy) 2004 Rostropovici, Mstislav Cello/Conductor ....
......Hailed as "an uninhibited virtuoso, with soul and fabulous technique" by The Strad, the Romanian-born violinist Remus Azoitei has achieved international acclaim since his concerto debut at the age of eight. Since then, he has performed extensively as a soloist with all the major orchestras in Romania, as well as being a featured soloist with various ensembles in Europe, North America and Japan. He held a full scholarship to study with Itzhak Perlman, and Dorothy DeLay at the Juilliard School in New York, where he obtained his Master Degree, as well as Maurice Hasson at the Royal Academy of Music in London. He studied also at the Bucharest Conservatoire under Daniel Podlovsky. ......As a recitalist, Remus Azoitei has performed in venues such as Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Center and CAMI Hall (New York), St-Martin-in-the-fields and Wigmore Hall (London), also appearing in the Music Festivals of Yokosuka, Cambridge, London, Heidelberg, Paris, Santander, Munich and Bucharest, among others. Remus has been broadcast on the Romanian Cultural Channel, BBC Radio 4, Radio Kishinev, as well as on Concert FM in New Zealand. He has worked with artists such as David Geringas, Nigel Kennedy, Gerard Causee, Adrian Brendel and Konstantin Lifshitz. After his London Wigmore Hall debut in 2004, the Sunday Express wrote that "he delivered a memorable programme in front of a packed Wigmore Hall, and had the crowd cheering. He is one fine musician". In 2005, he performed the Bach Double concerto with Nigel Kennedy, concert broadcast on 19 TV and Radio stations across Europe and North America, including Arte and Mezzo. Here it is.
......In 2007, Remus Azoitei released together with pianist Eduard Stan the entire repertoire for violin and piano by George Enescu, a world premiere project. Launched by Hanssler Classics on 2 CDs, this collection has immediately attracted international acclaim. Remus Azoitei is a prize-winner of international violin competitions in Milan, Weimar, Bucharest and Wellington. In 2005 he received “The Cultural Order”, a decoration offered to him for his achievements by the Romanian President. ......Remus Azoitei is sharing his busy concert schedule with the one of teaching. He was appointed violin professor at the Royal Academy of Music in London in 2001, becoming the youngest ever violin professor in the history of this institution. In 2006, Remus was awarded the title of Associate of the Royal Academy of Music, ARAM. He is the founder of the Enescu Society in London, as well as its Artistic Director.
...
Remus Azoitei, at the end of his very difficult concert
...... The members of the orchestra waiting to go on stage again. This is the first time I saw the boxes open. I only saw those for double basses. These are for the violins. They put each violin in its small box and then several violins in these big boxes. They are for transportation purposes. Back on stage. This is what the artists see from the stage. Mr Kitajenko Receiving the medal
......In order to show the gratitude, there was an encore. Sorry, I don't know what it was. If somebody was there and knows, please help. I tried Dvorak, Sostakovici... no result on youtube.
... ......And now some video examples.
1. Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France - just to hear how they sound like (Beethoven's 7th Symphony - second movement - Myung-Whun Chung conducting)
2. A goodie :) Stravinsky conducting his own work - Firebird. He's 82 here. ......Good night. And see you tomorrow. I go listen to them again. They're too good to be missed.
......The long waited night arrived. Maxim Vengerov returned to Bucharest, not as violonist, but as conductor. No comments about this evening. I simply enjoyed the music, from beginning to end. I only have to add that the venue, The Palace Hall, was full. 3100 seats according to the organizers, plus a lot of people standing.
.. Palace Grand Hall Series "Great Orchestras""GEORGE ENESCU" PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
Conductor: MAXIM VENGEROV
Soloists: ALEXANDRU TOMESCU – violin, HORIA MIHAIL – piano, RAZVAN SUMA – cello
...
Program:
Beethoven – Overture "Leonora III" op. 72a
Beethoven – Triple Concerto for piano, violin, cello and orchestra in C Major op. 56
Beethoven – Symphony no. 5 in c minor op. 67
...
......Before watching the pictures, I found this nice interview signed by Daniel Popescu/AGERPRES, with Mr Tomescu talking about how important this concert and meeting Vengerov was for him and his colleagues. Alexandru Tomescu is playing a Stradivarius violin. The article is in Romanian.
....
......Violonistul Alexandru Tomescu, care va concerta, marţi seara, la Sala Mare a Palatului, alături de Orchestra Filarmonicii 'George Enescu', dirijată de celebrul Maxim Vengerov, a declarat, în aceeaşi zi pentru AGERPRES că, pentru el, întâlnirea cu violonistul rus îi va facilita o colaborare de excepţie.
......'Este o foarte mare bucurie, o triplă plăcere, atât pentru mine, cât şi pentru colegii mei să prezentăm Triplul concert pentru piană, vioară, violoncel şi orchestră de Beethoven', a spus Tomescu. ......El a menţionat că întâlnirea cu Vengerov din cadrul celei de-a XIX-a ediţii a Festivalului Internaţional 'George Enescu' reprezintă o colaborare de excepţie. ......'De fapt îl ştiam cu toţii pe Maxim Vengerov ca violonist, dar am descoperit în el un dirijor de mare clasă', a mai spus Alexandru Tomescu, care, la repetiţii, s-a 'antrenat' pe o vioară românească, o copie Guarnieri, şi nu pe celebra Stradivarius Elder-Voicu 1702.
......'Sunt foarte mulţumit de ea. Cântă la fel ca şi Stradiverius', a glumit violonistul.
......Prezent la repetiţii, directorul artistic al Filarmonicii 'George Enescu', Nicolae Licareţ, a apreciat drept 'foarte importantă' colaborarea cu marele violonist rus.
......'De altfel, nu ne aflăm la prima colaborare, Vengerov a mai dirijat la Filarmonică. Mie personal îmi pare rău că violonistul Vengerov nu mai este prezent ca solist, deocamdată, sper. Talentul lui se manifestă şi pe podiumul dirijoral şi cred că această seară va înregistra un mare succes, la fel ca şi în precedentele prezenţe la Bucureşti', a spus Nicolae Licareţ.
......Violonist dotat cu un auz perfect, cu o inteligenţă sclipitoare şi o carismă rară, Maxim Vengerov impresionează şi cucereşte prin interpretările sale ce ating perfecţiunea tehnică, demonstrată în pasaje de o mare dificultate executate cu dezinvoltură dezarmantă.
......Născut în 1976, la Bucureşti, într-o familie de muzicieni, Alexandru Tomescu şi-a dovedit de mic talentul pentru muzică, confirmat ulterior prin numeroase premii internaţionale şi concerte pe cele mai cunoscute scene din ţară şi din străinătate.
......Solistul a studiat vioara la Liceul de Muzică 'George Enescu' sub îndrumarea mamei sale, prof. Mihaela Tomescu, iar în 1999 a absolvit cu notă maximă cursurile Academiei de Muzică din Bucureşti, unde l-a avut ca maestru pe renumitul violonist şi profesor Ştefan Gheorghiu. ......A participat la cursuri de măiestrie la Salzburg, Berlin, Freiburg, Los Angeles, Bergen, Interlochen, Dresda, Bucureşti, Sion, susţinute de renumiţi profesori, precum: Ruggiero Ricci, Trevor Williams, Igor Oistrach, Wolfgang Marschner, Heinz Rudolf, Hermann Krebbers, Sherban Lupu, Eduard Schmieder, Tibor Varga.
......O confirmare a talentului său neobişnuit o reprezintă cele 26 de premii internaţionale obţinute la competiţii din Germania (Berlin, Bayreuth, Schontal), Italia (Genova, Parma, San Bartolomeo, Stresa), Cehia (Praga, Usti nad Orlici), Polonia (Lublin), Coreea (Phenian), S.U.A.(Interlochen),Spania (Pamplona), Elveţia (Sion), Franţa (Paris), România (Bucureşti, Braşov). ......Solist permanent al Orchestrei Naţionale Radio, în septembrie 2007, Alexandru Tomescu a câştigat dreptul de a cânta la vioara Stradivarius Elder-Voicu 1702 pentru o perioadă de cinci ani. Vioara, folosită timp de patru decenii de maestrul Ion Voicu, este considerată a fi unul dintre cele mai bine conservate instrumente marca Stradivarius.
......Împreună cu pianistul Horia Mihail şi violoncelistul Răzvan Suma, Alexandru Tomescu a înfiinţat, în 2003, Romanian Piano Trio, formaţie deja cunoscută prin apariţiile în diverse festivaluri din ţară şi străinătate, precum şi prin turneele MusicON, organizate în premieră naţională. (sursa: AGERPRES)
....
From left to right: Alexandru Tomescu, Razvan Suma, Maxim Vengerov, Horia Mihail
One beautiful piece of Steinway
Saluting the audience
The encore of the three soloists. One piece by Piazzola
A rose from a fan
Saluting the brass
......Maxim Vengerov received this medal from the Minister of Culture, Mr Paleologu. The medal was offered in the name of the President of Romania. Several artists that came to the Festival received this. It has a name but as the mic was not working, I don't know how it's called exactely. But I'll find out.
.....EDIT: the name of the medal, in Romanian, is "Meritul Cultural in grad de Cavaler". I wrote some details here. A long and beautiful speach.
......And now, please listen to the first part of the Triple Concerto by Beethoven. Daniel Barenboim, Itzhak Perlman and Yo-Yo Ma. It's beautiful. Daniel Barenboim is conducting the orchestra.
......Thank you Mr Vengerov. You actually did magic!
......PS: This is the encore the 3 soloists gave after the Triple Concert. It's Primavera Portena by Astor Piazzolla.
EDIT again. There are some comments regarding this concert. Anca Florea and Oltea Serban Parau declared this for AGERPRES.
... .....Muzicologul Anca Florea apreciază că primul concert din seria 'Mari orchestre ale lumii' a celei de-a XIX-a ediţii a Festivalului Internaţional 'George Enescu', în care celebrul violonist rus Maxim Vengerov a dirijat Orchestra Filarmonicii 'George Enescu', avându-i ca solişti pe Alexandru Tomescu (vioară), Horia Mihail (pian) şi Răzvan Suma (violoncel), cu un regal Beethoven, a fost 'un concert al românilor'.
.....'Mă bucur că Vengerov a anunţat că va reveni, în curând, ca violonist, postură în care se simte mult mai bine', a declarat miercuri, pentru AGERPRES, Anca Florea, apreciind că 'Filarmonica s-a străduit să răspundă cerinţelor dirijorale'.
......Muzicologul a evidenţiat, de asemenea, prestaţia soliştilor din 'Romanian Piano Trio'.
.....'Sincer vorbind, i-am aplaudat în ordine valorică pe Răzvan Suma, Horia Mihail şi apoi, cu rezerve, pe Alexandru Tomescu', a spus muzicologul, care, 'în general', şi-ar fi dorit 'mai multă strălucire, mai multă implicare, o anvergură demnă de acest prim concert simfonic din festival'.
......Muzicologul Oltea Şerban-Pârâu, redactor-şef al Radio România Cultural şi director artistic al Formaţiilor Muzicale Radio, a sesizat acustica defectuoasă a Sălii Palatului, susţinând că a trebuit să se concentreze pentru a auzi soliştii.
......'Am venit la concertul dirijat de Maxim Vengerov şi avându-i ca solişti pe Alexandru Tomescu, Horia Mihail şi Răzvan Suma ca la 'a doua deschidere' a festivalului, pentru că în ochii publicului larg concertele de la Sala Palatului rămân cele mai importante. Din păcate, sala are acum doar 2.500 de locuri şi s-a stat în picioare, iar multă lume nu a mai venit pentru că pur şi simplu nu a mai găsit bilete, ceea ce se va întâmpla la multe concerte de la acest festival. S-a vorbit despre o îmbunătăţire a acusticii dacă se reduce capacitatea sălii, poate o voi sesiza mai târziu. Ieri seară, deşi aveam loc în mijlocul sălii, la parter, a trebuit să mă concentrez intens pentru a auzi cu adevărat soliştii, deşi vizual era evident că ei fac toate eforturile pentru a transmite publicului mesajul cu intensitate. În cazul pieselor pur orchestrale, s-a auzit ceva mai bine, iar Maxim Vengerov rămâne un artist inegalabil şi atunci când se află în faţa orchestrei în calitate de dirijor. O amplificare care să ia în consideraţie şi soliştii într-o manieră mai clară cred că este de dorit şi că poate fi realizată pe parcursul festivalului' - a declarat Oltea Şerban Pârâu
Marie-Claude Chappuis
