Asteroid 4179: Toutatis by Kaija Saariaho was the evening’s four-minute concession to the contemporary. ConductorGemma New may have spun shivery sonic bedazzlement, but when might we hear a more substantial work by this major Finnish composer rather than an admittedly elegant amuse-bouche?
After the interval, Gustav Holst’s performance was the ever-reliable crowd-pleaser. New’s flashing baton ignited a terrifying Mars, even more so, perhaps, considering the current state of the world. The suite progressed, immaculately groomed, to the mystical Neptune, where the wordless women from Voices New Zealand made for a reflective finale.
Auckland has already experienced some superlative performances of Elgar’s Violin Concerto, remembering Nigel Kennedy, James Ehnes and Pinchas Zukerman. After Saturday night, Christian Tetzlaff must be added to this roll call of honour.
At 50 minutes, this concerto is gloriously expansive, with a frank emotionalism that almost embarrassed its composer. Unscarred by a Great World War yet to come, it is a massive outpouring of song, with touching hints of Elgar’s less magisterial musical past.
Christian Tetzlaff at the Auckland Town Hall.
The orchestra set off at a purposeful stride, tempered by New’s customary finesse, at one point swooning from forte to piano within a beat. Tetzlaff entered, his rich, sonorous tone filling the hall, generating melodies destined to float upwards to heaven itself.
It would be an understatement to say that this man, often hunched over his violin searching for ever more intensity, merely transported us. In his many flights of airborne virtuosity, each note made its presence felt; in intimate moments, his musical sobs and sighs must have made direct contact with every heart in the auditorium.
There were delights for the eye as well, watching the almost hypnotic pas de deux between the dynamic soloist and conductor.
And what a joy it was being surrounded by enthused young students, whose animated discussions afterwards suggest a hopeful future for the city’s classical music culture.
