Anne Sophie Mutter at The National Concert Hall

national | arts and media | news report

Tuesday September 20, 2005 16:28

by Sean Crudden - impero

sean.crudden at iol dot ie

Jenkinstown, Dundalk, Co Louth.

087 9739945

Gripping Recital of Five Mozart Sonatas + Encore

Anne Sophie Mutter and Lambert Orkis enthralled a packed National Concert Hall on Saturday night 17 September 2005.

"A cat can look at a king," my mother used to say. On Saturday night last (17/09/05) this cat looked at a queen. Unworthy as I am and ill-equipped I am venturing a few comments on Anne-Sophie Mutter (violin) and Lambert Orkis (piano) who gave a recital consisting of five Mozart sonatas and a single encore at the weekend in The National Concert Hall.

Anne-Sophie was dressed in pearl white with Grecian folds and matching white, high-heeled shoes. A single narrow black band held her honeycoloured hair which was basically straight and shoulder length. Her movements were slow, smooth, her disposition was grave and she kept a reserve and distance from her audience.

One often sits at a recital and asks oneself "What is wrong here?" On Saturday night everything was right. Mozart lived as a third person on the stage. Anne-Sophie adopted a fast speed and a lively interpretation of the music but nothing was rushed. Her ability to toss a musical question into the air and return a little later to answer it coming down showed wonderful understanding and timing. The sound of the music complemented the rhythm. No heavy accents, sound full of composure, and pitch always appealing and interesting.

The real character of the performance was that her physical presence and body language complemented the music in a seamless and very pleasing way. The miracle of the performance was that it gave ample and full expression to the musicality, intelligence and wit of Mozart whose music obviously lives in the heart of Anne-Marie and her accompanist.

The management of The National Concert Hall are to be complimented on arranging this marvellous event and although I paid top dollar (€75) for one of the most expensive seats in the house I would willingly pay twice as much to witness the same performance again.

Lambert Orkis was an elfin, old, experienced, nimble, serious, competent, supportive, good-humoured, subservient accompanist but no-one was in any doubt that he could be assertive if he wanted to.

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Comments (3 of 3)

& isn't she ageing well?

by :-)

Wed Sep 21, 2005 14:23

It only seems like yesteryear when the buxom teutonic anna burst unto the revered classical music scene as the violinist of deutsche gramaphone, days of musical performance history when the allure of the low cut bodice or high hems of todays oriental appearing performers were restricted to the acne ridden dream sequences of the grade 8 crew.

But burst upon the scene she did, though some at frist ignored her obvious musicial sensitivity and cruelly linked her success with the affections offered her by her teacher, friend, confidante and mentor Herbert Van Karajan (ex SS guard Croatia) who had of course taken the baton of both Berlin and Vienna.

I for one will never forget the image of the Van karajan Von Mutter team taking full advantage of the speed limitless autobahn to play two gigs in one day in both cities, wonderful sublime renditions of the great concertos of Beethoven, typically conducted and directed from memory.

Indeed no-one can forget the prodigious demonstration of the van Karajan memory and the fearsome respect he inspired, when one night the electrical generator of Berlin failed and the orchestra continued to play before the silouhette of Herbert, who alas could not properly remember what he did nor where he was 1941-1945.

I really am so glad, the people of Eire at long last have had the opportunity to hear AnneSophie Mutter "the meryl streep of the fiddle". Perhaps this will excite interest in the youngsters in the past.

A bucket of water quick!

by Shipsea

Wed Sep 21, 2005 18:10

That man is on fire, I tell you!

You ought leave a decent interval between attendances at Ann Sophie's concerts, I fear, Iosaf. We can't be responsible for you otherwise!

Dont you find Von K just a teensy bit heavy on the digestion? All well prepared dinner fare but narry a sophisticated salad or souffle?

An now shipsea!

Thu Sep 22, 2005 12:41

I'm nowhere near the NCH and more a Naxos cheap and cheerful classical music consumer at only 4.99€ a CD excellent catalogue of newish performers from the former eastern block of europe with no "Van" or "Von" in their names. Sean's the concert goer / music critic with a love of fiddlers, it must be something in Louth, it has produced a fair bunch of very good violinists. i'm a fan of naxos not only for the cheapness and quality but also they helped break the hold Deutsche Gramaphone had on perceptions of "good recordings and performances" and the monopoly that brought on new performers. Every year there are great new musicians, on both technical and aesthetic basis but they compete in a labour market for a tiny slice of the pie, usually earning their living from teaching the acne grade 8 crew, and throughout all that having to find 4 to 5 hours a day to practise. It can be very demoralising for them, and the introduction of "mass marketing" to the recording industry has meant the same names are seen again and again on the stage with the label "the best alive" to succeed one needs to buy lessons from one of them, and anyone who has been at an international competition for young performers will confirm the now insidious invisibile marking of "sex appeal". With fiddling there is actually an age threshold, towards the end Menuhin performed on stage only through reputation, his deteriorating ear meant he didn't notice he was often not playing in tune. Oh I could go on and on and on and on...

Sean!
i'm looking forward to the next music criticism article.

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Anne Sophie Mutter at The National Concert Hall

Comments (3 of 3)