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Örebro Konserthus
Fabriksgatan 2, Örebro
Opens one hour before the concert
Logotyp: Örebrompaniet
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019-21 21 21, ticnet.se
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+46 (0)19-766 62 02
abonnent@orebrokonserthus.com
Phone hours: M 10-12, W 14-16
(Closed for Christmas &
New Years Dec 23-Jan 3.)

"A GENIUS, WHO DOESN'T APPEAR AS ONE"

Publicerad: 04 March 2011
The Kölner Stadt Anzeiger reviews Thomas Dausgaard and the Swedish Chamber Orchestra's concert in Cologne, Germany, with solo pianist Kit Armstrong
Kit Armstrong is considered to be a genius. In fact the 18 year old son of a Taiwanese mother and American father hasn’t only been playing piano on a high level for several years now, he also composes a lot and is an outstanding scientist and linguist. What does a genius look like? The kliché certainly doesn’t fit to this lanky young man: On stage at the Kölner Philharmonie Master Concert there is no sign of eccentricity with hair flying at the piano, but instead a shy and stiff star pupil, who bows correctly and then plays Beethoven’s First Piano Concerto - concentrated, clear, with no extranuous movements and no airs.

If you put aside his age and aura, you will find little that is spectacular in his interpretation.  And nor is there a distinctive creative signature to his performance (which may yet develop as Armstrong is still very young). For the time-being he has the benefit of a good technique with an obviously concise articulation in the left hand, well-polished finger-work and clean ornamentation, a very good touch which never hits downs aggressively but is always roundly cushioned and a lyrical disposition which particularly benefits the slow movement.  The encore, an organ fugue by Bach, followed with a more calculated dramatic impact which was gently poetical rather than neutrally executed.

With his performance Armstrong built up a good tension with his accompanists, the Swedish Chamber Orchestra under Thomas Dausgaard.  The Ensemble and its conductor favour a sharpened, high-energy sound, malleable to aggressive in form, with chamber-music like contours fanning through the wind section. This musical approach avails right from the opening work - the colourful, distinctive “A Freak in Burbank” by the modern Swedish composer Albert Schnelzer.

At the end came Brahms’ First Symphony. Here too the ensemble showed the benefits of a purified core-sound as opposed to symphonic opulence:  a gain in accuracy, flexibility and intensity.  The slow introduction, which is so often blurred in performance – was a prime-example of the excitement to follow. And how Dausgaard used the three driven semiquaver motive to come out of the second theme’s through – that was of the finest.

The permanent high pressure also had its downside however, and with that I don’t mean some of the lack of precision. The second movement for instance didn’t really find the peace which it requires and the wind solos came over as nervous and under pressure.

Nevertheless the final applause was well earnt.  The orchestra thanked with an inspired performance of Brahms’ First Hungarian Dance.

Kölner Stadt Anzeiger, Markus Schwering,  4 March 2011

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