Norwegian Chamber Orchestra, Pekka Kuusisto director, violin
This was described on the South Bank website as ‘showcasing the
works of Shostakovich, DSCH is a musical experience fusing theatre, lighting
and visual elements to challenge the traditional concert form’. Hmmm, I thought, but having heard and enjoyed broadcasts of some of Kuusisto ‘s Proms performances over the last few years I thought I’d go along to this…..
The performance was built around some if not all of the following works
Excerpt from Moderato from Sonata for viola & piano, Op.147
Romance from The Gadfly
Polka (Allegretto) from 3 Fantastic Dances, Op.5
Largo from String Quartet No.8 in C minor, Op.110
Waltz from 5 Pieces for 2 violins & piano
Allegretto from String Quartet No.7 inF sharp minor, Op.108
Allegretto from Cello Concerto No.2, Op.1 26
Excerpt from Allegretto from Sonata for viola & piano, Op.147
Intermezzo (Lento) from Piano Quintet in G minor, Op.57
Polka from 2 Pieces for string quartet
Waltz 2 from Suite No.2 for jazz orchestra
Excerpt from Allegretto from Cello Concerto No.1, Op.107
Andante from Piano Concerto No.2, Op.102
Excerpt from Adagio – Allegro non troppo from Symphony No.8 in C minor, Op.65
Excerpts from Andante & Allegretto from Piano Trio No.2 in E minor, Op.67″
Scherzo from 2 Pieces for string octet, Op.11
Romance from Dance of the dolls for piano
Chamber Symphony in C minor, Op.1 10a arr. Barshai from String Quartet No.8
Excerpt from Sonata for viola & piano, Op 147
The format was intriguing – one and a half hours (without interval)
of Shostakovich as a quasi- theatrical experience. The QEH concert platform
became a stage with various screens and drapes on which images were projected
consonant with the music being played. These were not as you might have
expected images of Stalinist Terror – marching troops, prisoners, the Lubyanka
– but natural phenomena: (water, trees waving in the wind, a bleak looking
moon) and abstract shapes – criss-cross grids, a web. There was one image that
could have been a bombed-out cityscape, but it had been made so fuzzy it looked
like a series of boxes. So certainly not Shostakovich and his times….the
orchestra was costumed and lit, moving eerily in and out of the darkness in dress that looked partly Slavonic, partly clown-like. There was also an effective use of lighting to
create mysterious shadows. At points large images of the players marched
towards us on the screen. The overall impact was to emphasise the personal
trauma, the deep grief, in this music rather than anything that suggested the
political context. The orchestra was a fine band as well as being an intrinsic part
of the stage experience (occasionally with exaggerated coordinated movements).
Most of the music was in some way or other rearranged (string quartet extracts
often had 8-10 players). The most substantial piece, the Barshai arrangement of
parts of the 8th string quartet, was thrillingly played, particularly the
klezmer tune; as was the first 5 minutes of the 8th Symphony. Occasionally an
accordion player was introduced into the mix – eg I think covering the piano
part (or aspects of it) in the slow movement of the second piano concerto.The hall was packed, with, in term of age anyway, a diverse audience, including many primary age children. There were whoops and cheers at the end, a very positive audience response.I did wonder a bit what the point of the concert was. Clearly if you’re familiar with Shostakovich’ s music, you’ll be going straight to listen to a string quartet rather than the edited dramatised version presented here. If you’re not at all familiar with the music, would this lead you to want to explore Shostakovich’s music in more depth? Possibly – or you might just feel you had watched a great show, appreciated it and you’ll then move on to the next one. So I am not sure this is the future of classic music. However the show is undoubtedly keeping a group of first-rate performers in paid employment, to much public satisfaction, and that must be a good thing!
John's musical journey 