Collaboration between Luxembourg Philharmonic and Brahms... Respect shown through three encores
Himeno's conducting of Dvořák is also impressive... Additional performance in Tongyeong on the 13th
(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Lim Soon-hyeon = Geniuses shine on their own even without making an effort to reveal themselves. That was the case for Spanish violinist Maria Dueñas, who performed for the first time in Korea last night.
Dueñas, who appeared as a collaborator in the Luxembourg Philharmonic's performance in Korea held at the Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 11th, left a strong impression with his own language. The 24-year-old performer, who is attracting attention as a next-generation violinist, performed Brahms' 'Violin Concerto' as if he was having a conversation with the audience, displaying excellent technique and flexible emotions.
In particular, his appearance as a performer who attracted attention for his cadenza (solo) was confirmed throughout the stage. Rather than deviating from the flow of the original song, they dominated the stage in a way that naturally connected with the rhythm within the piece. There was a strong impression that the solo was designed to function as an opportunity to expand the grammar of the entire song.
Above all, Dueñas' violin was clear but not exaggerated. Even in the high register, the center was maintained without slight fluctuations, and vibrato (the technique of shaking notes) was used as a means of enhancing the intensity of the song. While the angle of scratching the strings and the direction of the bowing (bowing) were carefully adjusted, the tone changed into different colors moment by moment. Even in the rough sections, he continued to play delicately so that the sound did not spread easily.
Dueñas' strengths were more clearly revealed in the slow movement. Instead of pushing the lonely and lonely emotions into mere sentiment, the soloist's role was structured in a three-dimensional way within the relationship with the orchestra. Coupled with the introduction of woodwinds such as oboes, the melody was heartbreaking but did not easily subside. At each point where the weight of the rhythm changed, the length of the note and the texture of the breath changed, and the change was conveyed as a ‘feeling’ rather than an ‘explanation’.
The most difficult part of Brahms' concerto is that it requires exaggerated tension and detailed breathing at the same time. Dueñas did not lose stability based on the basics even in fast passages (passages connecting phrases). Even in the rapid development of the movement, the notes were precisely separated without pressing each other, and the driving force of the rhythm was maintained until the end.
I also liked the way the encore continued the atmosphere. The additional performance, which lasted three songs, was not seen as simple fan service, but was seen as genuine respect for the Korean audience. In the final encore song, Igudesman's 'Apple Mania', he intentionally showed off his top-notch technique, but it was not seen as a simple show off. Dueñas seemed to read the air on stage between performances, and completed the finale without losing energy until the end.
In the second part, Dvorak's 'Symphony No. 7' was performed. The Luxembourg Philharmonic embodied the dark emotions and tension of this work with a dense ensemble. Above all, the lyricism of the second movement was persuasive. It was a melody that was firmly established but not overly heavy. While the tones of the string group softly gathered together to expand the emotions, the wind part built on top of it, creating tension and anticipation.
The conducting of Gustavo Jimeno, who stood on the podium, was also impressive. Jimeno, who has led the orchestra since 2015, brought to the forefront the Luxembourg Philharmonic's unique elasticity. In particular, the process by which the orchestra maintained a stable sound for each part was impressive.
Dueñas and the Luxembourg Philharmonic will perform one more time at the Tongyeong International Concert Hall on the 13th.
