Mechetti's definitive Mahler 6

Two supreme Brazilian musicians treated the KL audience to some of most sumptuous music making heard in recent years with the MPO on 9 May 2015. Pianist Arnaldo Cohen made his KL debut with Liszt's Second Piano Concerto.

The more original Second Piano Concerto (relative to the First Piano Concerto) needs extra teamwork between soloist and conductor to make the short but unusual musical structure work. This is what pianist Cohen and conductor Fabio Mechetti served up in spades. Cohen's touch was lovely and sure. Virtuoso passages were cleanly articulated, whilst accompanying passages in the piano part took a lovely "chamber music" feel. Principal cellist Czaba Koros performed his cello solo brilliantly, with a warm rich tone and a generous vibrato.

After a coruscating finale, Cohen and Mechetti received warm and deserved applause from the audience. Cohen treated the audience to more Liszt for his encore, which was the Consolation No 3 in D flat major S. 172.

Usually in a MPO concert after the concerto, the second half is a let-down. Not this concert! If anything, the Mechetti performance of Mahler's Sixth Symphony was a stunner. We had heard some laboured Mahler Sixth Symphony performances from Kees Bakels before. However, this performance outstripped all previous performances of the Sixth that have been heard in the DFP Hall since its inception. Not only was this the best Mahler Sixth that was performed at the DFP Hall, it was one of the most memorable concerts ever given by the MPO since its inception. From the grim tread of the opening march to Alma's passionate love theme, Mechetti's characterisation was spot-on. His balancing of the orchestral textures was perfect too, as were his myriad tonal adjustments and miniscule tempi changes which were beautifully and smoothly done. The performance used Mahler's original thoughts of placing the Scherzo second and Andante third, which is my own personal preference (the Erwin Ratz edition). Characterization in the Scherzo was also very accurate, with the unrelenting march rhythms played out to their full effect. The trio's gentler character was also spot-on, with principal oboist Simon Emes making a more rustic tone compared to his usually limpid and beautiful sound. The Andante was beautifully played and provided great relief from the relentlessness of Mechetti's first two movements. The nihilistic last movement was superbly played. Punctuated by only two (rather than three) hammer blows, the shattering ending brought on a very deserved and long standing ovation for maestro Mechetti and the MPO. Mechetti held up the orchestral score as a homage to Mahler's genius. It was a very great pity that at the time of these extraordinary Mahler concerts, we learnt of maestro Mechetti's resignation as Principal Conductor of the MPO. After such a magnificent and overwhelming Mahler Sixth, it seems that the DFP management would be hard-pressed to find a replacement for such a modest and professional maestro who does his work unassumingly and produces fantastic performances that even more renowned conductors find it difficult to replicate.