Philharmonia Orchestra Presents a Masterclass in Pianissimo for Kurtág's Centenary
The Queen Elizabeth Hall in London recently hosted a remarkable concert celebrating the 100th birthday of the revered composer György Kurtág. Led by conductor Elena Schwarz and featuring the acclaimed pianist Víkingur Ólafsson, the programme was a profound exploration of hushed intensity and fleeting ferocity, captivating a capacity audience with its delicate musical expressions.
A Programme of Intense Quiet and Occasional Ferocity
Marking György Kurtág's centenary, the event focused on what presenter Tom Service described as "intense quiet," a hallmark of Kurtág's work. However, the occasional louder moments provided breathtaking contrasts. In Víkingur Ólafsson's piano arrangement of Bach's Air on the G String, a phrase briefly revealed its muscularity, likened to a parent tenderly lifting a baby. Kurtág's Hommage à R Sch saw viola and clarinet snarl against Ólafsson's silken piano, while Mark Simpson's Hommage à Kurtág opened with fierce passion. Additionally, Kurtág's ... quasi una fantasia ... Op 27 No 1 featured monumental Old Testament brass that boomed fleetingly before unveiling a delicate skein of string harmonics.
Reveling in Kurtág's Many Shades of Pianissimo
The concert revelled in Kurtág's diverse shades of pianissimo, featuring nine of his works, none exceeding ten minutes in length. These were interspersed with crystalline pieces by other composers, including Schumann, Simpson, Webern, and Bach. Ólafsson played a central role in most performances, often bent deeply over the keyboard, treating every barely audible note as if it were priceless. His meticulous attention to detail highlighted the programme's emphasis on quiet resonance and subtlety.
Intimate and Ethereal Performances
In a particularly intimate segment, Ólafsson performed at a muted upright piano alongside his wife, Halla Oddný Magnúsdóttir. The trills of Kurtág's Twittering from Játékok were rendered as liquid oscillations, their quiet resonance allowed to ring into the start of Kurtág's arrangement of a Bach chorale. Ólafsson's bass notes were gauzy, with keys barely struck, while Magnúsdóttir's descant shone bell-like. Moving to a Steinway grand piano, Ólafsson spun an unbroken thread through a sequence culminating in Kurtág's ethereally sparse arrangement of the slow movement from Haydn's String Quartet in G major, Op 76 No 1, a work stripped back to its expressive essentials.
Contrasting Voluptuousness and Analogue Surround-Sound
In this context, Webern's Passacaglia Op 1 sounded positively voluptuous, with conductor Elena Schwarz and the Philharmonia musicians embracing its lingering memories of Viennese beer halls and late-romantic Strauss. Performed by musicians scattered throughout the auditorium and on stage, Kurtág's ... quasi una fantasia ... offered a thrilling analogue surround-sound experience, with Schwarz conducting in the round with impressive clarity. This innovative staging enhanced the immersive quality of the performance.
A Silent Audience and Rare Musical Intensity
Throughout the concert, the capacity audience sat in utter silence, reflecting the intensity of the musical expression. Witnessing such profound listening and performance is a rare treat, underscoring the event's significance. The Philharmonia Orchestra's tribute to Kurtág not only honoured his legacy but also showcased the power of pianissimo in classical music, leaving a lasting impression on all attendees.
