The Scottish Ensemble chose Perth to perform their first concert of the season. This year, each concert has a name, and this was ‘Red’. The programme was a well balanced mixture of Baroque and Shostakovich, and joining the Ensemble were two top class soloists. We had spied Alison Balsom and Jonathan Morton in the chamber orchestra for the Soldier’s Tale, so had high hopes for this evening’s concert. We were not disappointed.
First off was a violin sonata by Albinoni transcribed for trumpet, played by Alison Balsom on a tiny baroque instrument. The Ensemble came onto the stage all carrying two bows, and used special pointy baroque bows for this piece (and in the Corelli later). The playing was first rate, with the slow movements allowing Alison Balsom to demonstrate how a normally strident instrument can blend in with the music, and the faster ones producing thrilling interplay between soloist and the ensemble.
Then the mood changed from sunny Venice to darkest East Germany. We heard Shostakovich’s Chamber Symphony on C minor, originally written as string quartet. Shostakovich visited Dresden after the cold war, and was deeply disturbed by what he saw. The piece simply poured out of him in only three days. The contrast to the first piece was shocking; this was deeply serious music, well out of the comfort zone, as it should be. The way this was performed was spellbinding, with passages played quiet enough to strain the ears, to faster, louder, angry angular music. Played continuously with no breaks between the movements, it was as intense as it was very moving.
Back to Italy, and Rome then, for Correlli’s Concerto Grosso in Bb, with showcasing parts for ensemble members Jonathan Morton and Zoe Beyers on violins and Alison Lawrance on ‘cello. It was played well, but there were perhaps a few slight rough edges at times between the two violins where they swap over tunes.
But finally, to round off, the Ensemble were joined by Alison Balsom and Alasdair Beatson, playing in his home town, to perform the extraordinary Concert for piano, trumpet and strings by Shostakovich. It was a thrilling virtuoso performance from all. We were sitting near enough the front, and in good view of the piano keyboard to be completely mesmerised by Alastair Beatson’s playing.
There was a large crowd in to hear this concert, and our applause was rewarded with an encore of a Piazzola Tango for trumpet, piano and Ensemble.
The Scottish Ensemble concerts are always guaranteed to be top quality. One of the pleasures for the audience is watching the communications between the players: who looks at who, how they control their bows together (especially the blizzard of exciting downbows in sequence) and how they all appear to be really enjoying themselves.
This was a really special evening. I am looking forward to the rest of the concerts.
