Sultry Tianwa Yang in Lalo

An interesting programme of Lalo and Lutoslawski greeted us on 24 Nov 2013 at the DFP. The first half was devoted to Lalo, with the Rapsodie norvegienne as well as the evergreen and sultry Symphonie espagnole but the second half comprised Lutoslawski's Concerto for orchestra. The Rapsodie norvegienne is Lalo's own abridged transcription of the Fantaisie norvegienne for violin and orchestra. Naturally, the MPO strings under conductor Kevin Field were slightly at sea in trying to negotiate the tricky string passages in this piece. However, the highlight of the concert was the Lalo Symphonie espagnole. Making her DFP debut this time was the rising 26-year Chinese violinist Tianwa Yang. She was a most engaging soloist, who made the most of the contrasts in the Lalo, using a well judged fast intense vibrato to good effect. Also, she made excellent use of the bow to make the myriad shades that are very possible with the violin. Technically, this was a very exciting performance but her violin served her as well as it could. Yang could do with a superior violin with better carrying power and a more luscious G and D string than her present instrument (which is possibly on loan from the Rin Collection). The audience were suitably delighted with Yang's performance and she obliged with the Malinconia from Ysaye's Second Solo Sonata Op 27 No 2. Yang should be invited back in future MPO seasons, possibly to play unusual repertoire like the music recorded for Naxos like the Sarasate violin and orchestra oeuvre.