I thought I had experienced every violin concerto in some form – recorded or live – but I realised I was missing one. Aram Khachaturian’s 1940 composition, written for and premiered by David Oistrakh.
I am indebted to soloist Jennifer Pike and the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra for allowing me to tick this box. I should also thank them both for providing a marvellous evening of music at Perth Concert Hall (on February 18).
The concerto followed the composer’s most famous work – movements from the ballet Spartacus – with the concert ending in Tchaikovsky’s epic fourth symphony.
Such was the quality of performance, every possible box was ticked, the main ones being a tremendous programme, a sensational soloist and an orchestra that had verve, vivacity, technical nous and, above all, a wonderful affinity with the music.
The concerto takes prominence in the quest for superlatives. And, with minimal searching, there’s no argument that Jennifer Pike deserves them all.
I don’t think I’ve witnessed a concerto with such taxing demands, and I’ve probably never seen a soloist like Pike whose ability to conquer them was proved in outstanding fashion. It was a start-to-finish exhibition of show-stopping bravado and miraculous technique. It was, more or less, one continual cadenza. Individually outstanding, but add that to a rapport with conductor and orchestra which was instinctive and the combination goes off the scale in terms of excellence.
Credit should also go to the composer. Move aside, luminaries such as Tchaikovsky, Brahms et al. Khachaturian more than deserves equal recognition, and what better way to prove this point than with this marvellous performance. Moreover, an Armenian orchestra playing music of a native Armenian – what can be a better fit?
Khachaturian opened the concert but with more readily identifiable music, that from his ballet Spartacus.
The orchestra proved their credentials from the off, with vivacity and energy in the opening suite and poise and delicacy in the second, the famous Onedin Line theme.
This pulsating energy carried on throughout the symphony except the beautiful Andantino, of course, which was a delight.
The majesty of the opening fanfare, the speed and perfection of the pizzicato third movement and the fire of the finale – all these, and more, contributed to a fantastic performance and made me change my mind (again!) as to which of the composer’s last three symphonies is my favourite. Based on this top-class performance, the fourth wins hands down.
