Classical review: Dresden Philharmonic; Edinburgh Usher Hall

By Ken Walton
Published on 23/10/2012 03:02

It was mighty strange to experience the swashbuckling extrovert style of violinist Sarah Chang against the more stately showmanship of the Dresden Philharmonic, both of whom joined in combat last night for a performance of Samuel Barber’s Violin Concerto under the baton of Michael Sanderling.

On the one hand, Chang bristled with attitude, strutting about the stage with all the impetuosity of a rock star, yet rarely did such physical heat manifest itself in a tone equal to that, or big enough to carry the soft, sunny melodies of the concerto’s earlier movements. Only in the final moto perpetuo did the focus of her playing become truly directional.

Supporting her, the Dresden orchestra basked in the delicacies of Barber’s nimble, neoclassical textures.

But it was in Beethoven’s Egmont Overture and Dvorak’s New World Symphony that synergy occurred, and where the essence of this orchestra – a golden resonance, rich string homogeneity, with a jarring hint of individuality among the wind – emerged. Sanderling’s Beethoven was biting, with just a hint of restraint, allowing the full exultant impact of the closing moments to burst forth.

That same sense of proportion brought a fresh burst of life to Dvorak’s often hackneyed 9th symphony: the Largo teasingly pliable, its opening brass chords radiating like a golden sunrise; the finale showing that these Dresden guys can let rip when the urge takes them.

Rating: * * * *