Martyn Brabbins conductor
Misha Kaploukhii piano
RCM Philharmonic
Tom Bradbury Treacle (world premiere)
Brahms Piano Concerto no 2 in B flat major op 83
Visiting Professor of Conducting Martyn Brabbins returns to direct the RCM Philharmonic in a programme of Orchestral Masterworks, with RCM composer Tom Bradbury offering a sweet treat in the form of Treacle, performed publicly for the first time.
RCM Concerto Competition Winner Misha Kaploukhii takes centre stage in the stunning Second Piano Concerto by Brahms. This expansive work unfolds with a sumptuous first movement, powerful second, exquisite slow movement – including a beautiful cello solo – and richly inventive finale.
Misha Kaploukhii on his fourth outing with Brahms 2 tonight as prize winner at the Royal College of Music under the superb baton of Martyn Brabbins who also presented another prize winner Tom Bradbury with his composition ‘Treacle ‘
Misha having played the Brahms at the beginning of the year on Myra Hess’s own Steinway concert grand now housed in Bishopsgate Institute. Performances followed at St James’s Piccadilly and with the YMSO at Cadogan hall that are now crowned by a performance of aristocratic nobility and timeless beauty.
Like Arrau always thinking from the bass upwards that gives such weight and architectural shape to the longest and largest of chamber music concertos with the tiniest of Scherzos added for good measure. A rhythmic precision that is rare in this concerto but did not preclude passionate sumptuous richness of aristocratic nobility. A timeless sense of control that allowed the music to unfold in all is grandeur and at times spellbinding beauty. A wonderful duet between Lisa Dolgouchine’s cello, accompanied by the delicacy and generosity of Misha’s deeply felt musicianship, inbetween dramatic outbursts of remarkable rhythmic precision. The subtle string playing of Philadelphian beauty allowed one of those ‘velvet’ moments where the piano could project on this cushion of sumptuous whispered sounds the single unembellished notes with Mozartian purity and intensity where so few notes can mean so much. The Scherzo started a bit solidly where bar lines suddenly appeared but this was soon discarded for the simple almost improvised beauty that Misha brought even to the treacherous whispered cadenza that Brahms added to this ‘wisp’ of a Scherzo . If the last movement lacked some of the grazioso at the beginning, the orchestra and piano soon found common ground with the overall grandeur and nobility that they brought together with their youthful passion and energy of overwhelming impact and exhilarating effect.
A spontaneous ovation and even flowers were truly deserved for a performance that easily stands comparison with the other great performances of this work that have resounded in the past around these august surroundings.
By God he’s got it right judging from the ovation he got from friends and foes alike in the Amaryllis Fleming Concert Hall where I remember John Lill, Dennis Lee and George Barbour performing it many moons ago under Sir Adrian Boult.
ChristopherAxworthy-MusicCommentary 