TRANSLATIONReview Premiere performance 2nd Piano Concerto
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MERKER The
International Cultural Platform Exhibition
Opening "A Fairy Tale World" with paintings by
Raffaele de Rosa and Orchestra Concert at Zwettl Abbey (Photo) Prior
Berhard Prem, Francesca Gräfin Pilati, Raffaele De Rosa, Robert
Pobitschka. Foto: Noll/NÖN Exhibition
Opening “A Fairy Tale World” with Paintings by Raffaele de
Rosa and Orchestra Concert at Zwettl Abbey (June 15, 2019) The
series “Candlelight Concerts” hosted an orchestra concert
for the first time in its history, featuring the renowned
Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg in a string ensemble, which took
place on June 15, 2019, under the direction of the 1st
concertmaster of the Mozarteum Orchestra, Markus Tomasi, in the
festival hall of Zwettl Abbey. The honorary sponsorship was
provided by the Italian Cultural Institute Vienna. Exactly
in keeping with the nature of De Rosa's paintings, which project
chivalrous figures into fantasy worlds, the concert began quite
martial with Ignaz Biber's "Battalia." One seemed to
hear the noise of war followed by lamentations—effects
masterfully depicted by Biber using musical means, and equally
expertly reproduced by the orchestra. Immediately afterwards
came Robert Pobitschka's 2nd Piano Concerto, created in 2017/18,
with the composer himself taking the solo part. The work,
written in a very personal style, reveals influences of Russian
modernism as well as classicism, and occasionally jazz, while
sparingly employing "cacophonous" elements. The
three-movement piece spans a wide, poetic arc, touching upon
emotions in different phases: confidence, deep melancholy, and
an optimistic-euphoric breakthrough in the finale. The
established pianist Pobitschka explored all facets of the piano
in his composition and impressed with his equally sensitive and
virtuosic performance. Special praise goes to the orchestra,
which collaborated with the soloist with confidence even in
rhythmically often extremely difficult passages. The audience in
the fully occupied festival hall expressed their thanks with
thunderous applause. After
the break, another surprise followed: the finale from the
Symphony in G major by Florian Deller, a composer born in 1729
in Drosendorf in the Waldviertel. Very much in the style of his
time, yet skillfully, Deller blended the sounds in his cheerful
music. Thanks are also due to another son of Drosendorf, Mr.
Werner Irschik, who happened to learn of Deller's existence and
discovered the scores in the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern State
Library. The musicians were completely in their element in the
following Divertimento in D major, KV 136, by Wolfgang Amadeus
Mozart. Even in the acoustically challenging festival hall, a
very delicate "piano" could be achieved; the ensemble
played with evident joy, creating richly nuanced effects. The final item on the program was Edvard Grieg's Suite "From Holberg's Time." Tomasi guided his colleagues in a captivating interpretation of this "classic" for string orchestra. Following the lively applause from the audience, the finale from Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy's Symphony for Strings in D major was performed as an encore.
Anton
Cupak
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