Two concerts of one half (each)

Two concerts, starting two hours apart today. Could have made all of the first concert, but without a car, and with needing to be early in the second concert to get a good seat, I left after the first half.

It was the trio 'Fortvio' (piano trio, ....think about it). Consists of Indre Baikstyte (accompanist in the music academy, Ingrida Rupaite (leader of St Christopher's Orchestra), and Povilas Jacunskas (first cello desk of Lithuanian State Orchestra). I have been aware of Povilas since before he started studying at the music academy 7 years ago. Ingrida I heard recently play solos with her orchestra, but there she was a bit lacking in confidence - not the case today! Makes you wonder about interpersonal dynamics in the band....Ms Baikstyte did all the emoting she cannot do as an accompanist. They are all good musicians. In fact, looking at them today, I wondered what it is that happens to Lithuanian musicians once they turn forty and many seem to lose the will to live. Was speaking to someone today who said that the Opera House orchestra is really difficult to motivate - yes, we can hear it!

Our young trio, in existence formally since 2006, has already won some international prizes - the International S Vainuno Chamber Music Competition in Vilnius in 2006, and the third prize at the J Brahms International Chamber Ensemble Competition in Austria last year. Keep an eye on them!

I heard Haydn's G-major piano trio, and Shostakovich's second trip. Both were great. Gee, the energy and the communication the group has! The Haydn was a bit dull for the cello perhaps, but he did not let it show and played along perfectly with his fellow players. The Rondo al' Ongarese was so ....Ongarese ... with loud, dirty cello playing (only where required!) and everything. None of that (falsely) refined 'oh, the notes must all sound nice' playing. This was pure Bull's Blood and temperament.

The Shostakovich, which I recognized when I heard the second movement (and I am surprised I had not reviewed it before) has a funny start, which would be good for a listening exam - 'which instrument starts first'? The cello plays harmonics for what seems forever while then the violin enters with much lower notes. Like the Haydn last movement it has plenty of scope for rumbustious, temperamental playing - I loved the beginning of the last movement, which the violinist and cellist played like the approach of a couple in a tango (not in tango rhythm of course) who then dance violently with each other. I wish I could have heard the remainder of the concert.

But I had to rush to the Lutheran Church for the next concert of Musica Humana of Bach and 21st century Lithuanian music. When I saw the balance of the programme, I was a bit dismayed - one Bach, three modern pieces. But by then I had hailed one of the composers, so had to listen to his work - which was ok.

Like yesterday we were made to stand in memory of someone. I could not believe it yesterday, but now I've checked - it was in memory of Margarita Dvarionaite, a (woman) conductor of the Filharmonija for over 30 years. We had them here, first? Maybe it helped that Dad had been a quite well-known if not exceptional composer (and brother is violin professor, whose children are music teachers...another dynasty).

So although I was aghast that they put the 'Air on a G-string' on the music stands, under the circumstances one could hardly protest.

This was followed by Bach's concerto for oboe d'amore in A major. Oboe d'amore, in Lithuania? Methinks the delectable Robertas Beinaris, our best oboist, has a new toy! It must be the first d'amore anything in Lithuania. And a very fine, dark tone he produced, too. It was a bit lost because he was in the middle of the orchestra, and the pitch is not ideal for that, but hey, keep it coming, Robertas. Played as beautifully, and securely, and confidently as he only knows how.

Osvaldas Balakauskas' clarinet concerto, brand new, was the last piece I heard today. It's in two merged movements, with largely the same rather spiky rhythm for the orchestra throughout (or at least for the first fiddles, practically among whom I was sitting). The second movement read 'Andante' or 'Andantino' on the score, but it was hard to tell the difference. It seemed very virtuosic for the clarinet who was constantly playing. Again his sound was a bit lost among the orchestra, or maybe I was just too close to them - plus I was really paying attention to the first fiddles - who went astray at one stage despite counting very hard. It happens, I suppose. Now, don't ask me if it was atonal (no, almost certainly not) or serial music (also almost certainly not) .... It was quite pleasant, really, but very hard work for the clarinetist.

Two hours on a hard church pew

...was the price we paid for Musica Humana's action packed programme tonight in Vilnius - and they had cut two pieces....At least one other they could easily have cut, and another one did not really fit into the (all Mozart) programming.

Mozart's sonata for flute and keyboard, KV 13, presumably was written when he was about 6, knowing his output. I couldn't write this, of course, not without much trying, but really, let the child be a child and not remind us all of his early attempts. I am sure he would have buried it, as it should have been. Simplistic, too low on the flute, and with a dreadful last movement, which showed Mozart's early attempts at those little chromatic runs, but here they were like someone running with galumphing big boots. Not really helped by Algirdas Vizgirdas' booming tone (I do believe it's a bit breathy) that came out of his (new?) golden flute.

This was followed by the symphony KV128, two movements of the quartet for oboe and strings (why was the oboist described as a soloist), two arias from rare Mozart operas (Mitridate and Il re pastore), the dissonance string quartet (at half an hour far too long) and the Senerata Notturna KV 239.

The Musica Humana changes its composition rather often, though there is a core of about 5 people who always attend. It was interesting to note that those who came from symphony orchestras tended to use lush Tchaikovsky bowing whereas those who had a history of chamber orchestras were much better at the Mozartian bowing. Since the leader of the band is a flautist, they won't get much help in the decision-making on bowing. Also the chamber players were a bit more secure on their intonation. As for the lone cellist of the band, Raimundas Jasiukaitis, a member of the core team, he is always totally reliable and spot on in anything he does.

There was a lovely moment in the second movement of the symphony (I think...) which was not repeated when it came round again.... Robertas Beinaris' exquisite playing of the oboe part in the oboe-quartet was not always followed by the violinist repeating it, who rather rushed at it - bit of a shame. The others just kept their head down.

Raminta Vaicekauskaite, dressed like a golden bee, and knowing well why she curtsied and did not bow, wonderfully sang the two arias; she has a great, powerful voice - sitting in the front row my ears are now very clean! Here the first fiddles hit a rough patch now and again.

The string quartet was ok, but not string quartettish enough; the parts did not sing out their solos when they came, but just kept playing, as if they were in an orchestra - apart from the cello who did great. And far too long.

The Serenada Notturna was ok, with different parts of the band on the opposite side of the stage (because that's how it is). The last movement was weird - usually the much repeated theme starts with an appoggiatura, 'teedle-deedle', but here they started with 'tweek-tweek' - an accaciatura. It was the Kalmus edition they used, which explains a lot, but are they trying to tell me they haven't heard it before? That would be shocking.

I think the band has a new leader, and experience needs to be built. Though I also wonder about micro-management; the conductor likes to conduct, even when only 4 people were playing, and he conducts every note - imagine fast 16th-notes; maybe some of the players don't have the confidence to sing out - yet?