SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL

Antonin Dvořák: Polonaise from Rusalka, op.114 (1900)
Bedrich Smetana: Polka from The Bartered Bride (1886/1870)
Bohuslav Martinů: Concerto for two violins (1950)
Antonin Dvořák: Symphony No.9 in E minor, From the New World, op.95 (1893)

A mini Czech festival is being held at the Cadogan Hall with three concerts from the Czech National Symphony Orchestra being the backbone of the festivities. This opening concert was a nice mixture of the well known and new friends.

Things got off to an unpropicious start with a muddy performance of the Polonaise from Rusalka where it was impossible to discern the separate strands of the music - of course, this may not have been a problem with the performance but perhaps with a miscalculation, on Pešek’s part, of the acoustic of the hall when full. Whatever the trouble, by the time the orchestra launched into the delightful and fizzy Polka from The Bartered Bride all was well and the band sounded wonderful. However, it was Martinů’s sizzling Concerto for two violins which really set the blood racing. This is a delicious work, full of good spirits and with a broad smile on its face throughout. Martinů famously described himself as a Concerto grosso kind of composer, making reference to the neo classical voice he so often speaks with, and not just his concerted works have the solo part integrated into the texture of the piece, there are works such as the Sinfonietta La Jolla which contain a solo part for the piano which is used in a baroque way within, and without, the texture. So here is a piece which throws the bad times to the wind and simply entertains with good spirits. The front desk of the 1^st violins rose to the challenge and played their parts with great feeling and humorous abandon. This was a superb performance and it was just what was needed to welcome many new listeners into Martinů’s special soundworld. Full marks to all concerned here.

The New World Symphony received a very refined and elegant performance from Pešek and his players and there was no room for sentiment nor unnecessary rubato and strange rhythmic effects. It certainly wasn’t lacking in dynamism and, on occasion, Pešek whipped up his orchestra into a veritable frenzy of excitement but it was the stillness of the slow movement and the world weariness of the finale which impressed most of all. I heard some members of the audience say that this was too polite a reading but that is wrong for this performance was the result of long years of study from Pešek and his deep thoughts concerning this music really paid dividends tonight.

As an encore we were given the 15^th Slavonic Dance in C in a sparkling performance. This was a fine show by an excellent orchestra with a conductor who coaxed the very best from his players.

Bob Briggs