Germany Carl Flesch Worldwide Competitors – Concertos and Chamber Music Rounds: 17 candidates (violin, viola, cello, double bass). Baden-Baden, Germany, 12, 13 and 14.7.2024. (LV)
When Carl Flesch was born, Brahms was solely forty and had not but written his Violin Concerto; Fritz Kreisler had not written his cadenzas for the Beethoven concerto. In time, Flesch would grow to be a fantastic virtuoso who performed with Arthur Nikisch and Wilhelm Furtwängler and, as a instructor, he would cross on the legacy of the good classical Romantic repertoire not as ashes from the previous however as embers for the longer term. Flesch was additionally an excellent chamber music participant, and his piano trio with Artur Schnabel and Gregor Piatigorsky was one of many best of its time. In 1928, Flesch realized a dream of a few years by shopping for a home within the German spa city of Baden-Baden the place, through the summer season months, he gave programs that attracted not solely pupils but additionally a large number of listeners. A century later, his scales methodology for superior violinists continues to be used extensively.
The Carl Flesch Academy, based in 1964 by Flesch’s scholar Henryk Szeryng, is held in an abbey on the outskirts of Baden-Baden across the nook from the place Brahms and Clara Schumann as soon as spent summers. In the course of the second week in July, the 30 chosen individuals skilled collectively to compete for high honors on the concerto finals. After their week of grasp courses, and orchestra and chamber music rehearsals, 17 individuals performed solo actions with the Philharmonie Baden-Baden, led by its chief conductor, Heiko Matthias Förster, who’s general director of the Academy. Many had by no means performed with knowledgeable orchestra earlier than. The professors this yr had been violinists Kirill Troussov and Boris Kuschnir, violist Máté Szücs, cellist Kian Soltani and double bassist Janne Saksala.
It’s the second yr since Troussov was named creative director and, along with the elevated quantity and better stage of candidates, chamber music was upgraded into what was already a burgeoning, Marlboro-like setting. It gave the individuals a chance to work off their extra vitality and to offer a superb live performance on Saturday evening on the Lodge Maison Messmer subsequent door to Baden-Baden’s fabled on line casino. There was a lot occurring through the week that any concentrate on who was going win grew to become considerably deflected, and real friendships developed among the many individuals.
The 2 concerto concert events with orchestra came about within the horseshoe-shaped Kurhaus additionally adjoining to the on line casino, set in an extended park that follows the curve of town. It’s a great place to listen to music – massive and spacious, but intimate on the similar time. In the course of the week of the Academy, there was a superb classic automobile exhibition within the park, a match setting for the musical stars.
Inside, because the concert events started and the aspiring younger virtuosos got here on the stage maneuvering via the orchestra with their devices – which for the double basses at all times made fairly a present – there was an excited rustle within the corridor. Every soloist would acknowledge the welcoming applause of the viewers, shake arms with the conductor and the concertmaster, take up a place on stage and, with one final nod to the conductor, look ahead to the baton to drop. After their performances, all of them took one curtain name. The audiences had been enthusiastic at each concerto concert events, and the chamber music live performance was bought out.
From the second Lauren Yoon soared angelically above the opening of the Korngold Violin Concerto, together with her heavenly phrasing beautifully timed, the highest prize (The Carl Flesch Prize €3,000) was hers. I used to be as soon as advised that the Korngold just isn’t actually troublesome for those who don’t assume it’s. It by no means appeared to happen to Yoon, and her lead again to the large theme was one thing broad and exquisite that should have additional clinched the choice.
There was one thing intensely private in the way in which Eun Che Kim performed the primary motion of Dvořák’s Violin Concerto with which she gained two of the highest three prizes (The Werner Stiefel and Brahms Prizes €3,000). She had a serene integrity of line, by no means marred by a mistaken notice and unfazed by the composer’s awkward orchestral writing, which the Philharmonie and Förster tamed as finest they may.
Violist Elena Küssner took dwelling the highest viola prize (The Mayor’s Prize for the Metropolis of Baden-Baden €500) with Paganini’s outrageously florid and mawkish Sonata Op.35: her pizzicatos had been explosive, her virtuosity spellbinding, her taking part in of the Huge Theme unforgettable. True, there have been moments when the music appeared uncontrolled.
The prize (The Henle Prize €500.00) for finest cellist went to Nagyeom Jang for her very good efficiency of the primary motion of Dvořák’s Cello Concerto on opening evening. After an exceptionally vibrant orchestral introduction, Jang gave full measure to her phrases, and flashed a stunning open A in her massive tune. She made Dvořák’s flying staccato arpeggios magical, for as soon as, as a substitute of boring, and he or she used a heart-breaking portamento all her personal within the sluggish lead-up to the large glissando which she then proceeded to nail.
Ariane Thomann was certainly one of many excellent younger individuals in Janne Saksala’s class of double bass gamers and was a well-liked favourite when she was added on the final minute to Sunday afternoon for The Stennebrüggen Prize €1,000. In a motion from a concerto by Vanhal, she confirmed an outstanding sense of fashion, engaged deftly in dialogue with the orchestra, performed with thrilling virtuosity and sang candy love songs with youthful appeal.
Yoeun Seol at 13 was the youngest participant and acquired The Troussov Younger Expertise Award €500. She introduced Franz Waxman’s Carmen Fantasy alive with braveness and sizzle. Troussov himself debuted in Moscow with the Russian Nationwide Orchestra on the age of eight.
The targets of the Carl Flesch Academy have at all times been to make the individuals consider that they belong, and to encourage them to dream – and to realize success in different prestigious competitions. And so, it was acceptable that, in Budapest the evening earlier than, the primary prize for violinists aged 15–22 on the fifth Ilona Fehér Worldwide Violin Competitors was awarded to Leonhard Baumgartner – who had gained first prize on the Carl Flesch Academy the yr earlier than.
Laurence Vittes
12.7.2024 – Meisterkonzert 1.0: Numerous soloists in actions from concertos and different items by Dvořák, Mozart, Dittersdorf, Paganini, Korngold, Bruch, Vanhal and Tchaikovsky, Philharmonie Baden-Baden / Heiko Mathias Förster (conductor). Weinbrennersaal, Kurhaus.
13.7.2024 – Meisterkonzert 2.0: Numerous gamers in actions from chamber music by Mendelssohn, Bartók, Handel (arr. Halvorsen) and Schubert. Lodge Maison Messmer.
14.7.2024 – Meisterkonzert 3.0: Numerous soloists in actions from concertos and different items by Vanhal, Schumann, Walton, Sibelius, Waxman, Bottesini, Popper and Saint-Saëns, Philharmonie Baden-Baden / Heiko Mathias Förster (conductor). Weinbrennersaal, Kurhaus.
