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Kristian Chong: Brahms and Tchaikovsky

by Glenn Riddle 25th May, 2018
by Glenn Riddle 25th May, 2018

Kristian Chong, well known to Australian audiences as piano recitalist, concerto soloist, chamber musician and more recently as popular presenter on ABC Classic FM has, not surprisingly, gathered a stellar cast of collaborators for his Kristian Chong and Friends concerts to be held at the Melbourne Recital Centre in 2018.

 This season’s concerts kicked off with one of Australia’s most international artists, Singapore-based cellist Li-Wei Quin headlining a formidable quartet in a program of Brahms and Tchaikovsky. Li-Wei and Kristian were joined by the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra’s Concertmaster Natsuko Yoshimoto and the ASO’s Associate Principal Viola Imants Larsens.

 In the first half, Brahms’ Piano Quartet No 3 in C minor was presented with persuasive authority from the outset. With the cellist centrally placed amongst the string protagonists, Quin’s innate musicianship and humanely rich tone projected effortlessly into the auditorium, most penetratingly at the beginning of the third movement Andante, which subsequently unfolded as if it were a genial conversation between long-standing intimates. Throughout the quartet Chong was a model of tonal restraint, always providing resonant harmonic support while never swamping his colleagues in what can, in less expert hands, become overly dense textures. The fourth movement in particular was notable for the delicacy of Chong’s gossamer-like touch.

 But it was the vast canvas that is Tchaikovsky’s two-movement Piano Trio in A minor that was the great success of the evening. Dedicated to the memory of Nikolai Rubinstein, the Russian composer’s mentor and friend, its prevailing pathos was convincingly captured in the opening movement Pezzo elegiaco, Quin’s plaintive cello featuring prominently. Throughout his career Tchaikovsky was intrigued by variation form and the second, and final, movement of this trio – a theme and twelve distinctly characterized variations that feature a waltz, a mazurka, a music box variation, a fugue, a funeral march and more besides – revealed Tchaikovsky’s capacity to highlight the three instrumentalists both individually and collectively. With the more transparent textures and often more soloistic writing available in the trio format, Yoshimoto’s unerring pitch and well-directed vibrato shone through effortlessly. Complemented by Quin’s languidly expressive bowing and equally deft left hand, this was a performance in equal parts rapturous, beguiling and humorous. Chong’s unfailing technical command of what is a dauntingly difficult piano part served the trio well, ever-sensitive as it was to the continually shifting roles between supportive background, interlocutory middle-ground and texture-leading fore-ground. Notwithstanding an unfortunate-page-turn-induced loss of momentum towards the end of the movement this was a thoroughly engaging reading by three equal partners each reveling in the opportunity to come together to share their collective musical conception of this most challenging and intriguing of chamber masterpieces.

 As a post-script – in the absence of detailed program notes it may have been helpful if Chong – an eloquent elucidator both of musical narrative and of historical context – had introduced the works in more detail to his audience. But this is a small quibble to what was on the whole, a most satisfying evening of collaborative music-making.

 

Kristian Chong with Li –Wei Quin performed Brahms and Tchaikovsky at Elisabeth Murdoch Hall, Melbourne Recital Centre on May 16, 2018.

The next Kristian Chong and Friends concerts take place at the Melbourne Recital Centre on August 27 and November 12.

 

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Songmakers Australia: Schwanengesang

August 1 @ 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Songmakers Australia: Schwanengesang

Program Franz Schubert Schwanengesang D 957 Songmakers Australia Schubert’s last song cycle was published after his untimely death at the age of…

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Seraphim Trio – Gallic Charm

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Seraphim Trio – Gallic Charm

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Flinders Quartet Concert 2

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August 7 @ 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

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Stewart Kelly – Schubert’s Swansong

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Melbourne Guitar Quartet – Flow My Tears

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The Lieder Society of Victoria: Erwartung – Markus Matheis & Dean Sky-Lucas

August 14 @ 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

The Lieder Society of Victoria: Erwartung – Markus Matheis & Dean Sky-Lucas

"Erwartung" Markus Matheis & Dean Sky-Lucas In this recital ERWARTUNG (expectation) Markus Matheis and Dean Sky-Lucas present a concert which chronicles…

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Rutter’s Requiem and the 16th RMP Aria Final

August 14 @ 3:00 pm - 4:15 pm Recurring

Rutter’s Requiem and the 16th RMP Aria Final

Now firmly established as one of Australia’s most prestigious singing events, the RMP Aria is Australia’s pre-eminent competition for oratorio soloists.…

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The University of Melbourne Symphony Orchestra

August 14 @ 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

The University of Melbourne Symphony Orchestra

The University of Melbourne Symphony Orchestra’s third concert of the year takes us through works by Benjamin Britten, Don Bank, and…

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Rutter’s Requiem and the 16th RMP Aria Final

August 14 @ 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm Recurring

Rutter’s Requiem and the 16th RMP Aria Final

Now firmly established as one of Australia’s most prestigious singing events, the RMP Aria is Australia’s pre-eminent competition for oratorio soloists.…

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Real and Right and True – Lotte Betts-Dean and Calvin Bowman

August 20 @ 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm

Real and Right and True – Lotte Betts-Dean and Calvin Bowman

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The Friends of the Auburn Tower Inc presents Wanderlust, featuring Elyane Laussade, piano, and Luke Severn, bass baritone, in a musical…

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August 1 @ 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Songmakers Australia: Schwanengesang

August 1 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Seraphim Trio – Gallic Charm

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Mostly Mozart – Musical Mavericks

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Flinders Quartet Concert 2

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Corpus Medicorum Concert #3

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Stewart Kelly – Schubert’s Swansong

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August 11
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Melbourne Guitar Quartet – Flow My Tears

August 12
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Stravinsky’s Ballets

August 13
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Stravinsky’s Ballets

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The Lieder Society of Victoria: Erwartung – Markus Matheis & Dean Sky-Lucas

August 14 @ 3:00 pm - 4:15 pm Recurring

Rutter’s Requiem and the 16th RMP Aria Final

August 14 @ 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

The University of Melbourne Symphony Orchestra

August 14 @ 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm Recurring

Rutter’s Requiem and the 16th RMP Aria Final

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Real and Right and True – Lotte Betts-Dean and Calvin Bowman

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Wanderlust

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The Lieder Society of Victoria: Erwartung – Markus Matheis & Dean Sky-Lucas

August 14 @ 3:00 pm - 4:15 pm Recurring

Rutter’s Requiem and the 16th RMP Aria Final

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Rutter’s Requiem and the 16th RMP Aria Final

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