Concert Review: HKPO-Watkins-Wigglesworth22 October, 2011, CCCH
HKPO-Paul Watkins-Mark Wigglesworth
Beethoven-Elgar-Wagner
Excellent music-making by these two musicians from the UK. The program bears an uncanny resemblance to the HKPO's program for January 2006, conducted by Osmo Vanska, but played in reverse order.
Beethoven's Pastoral received an enjoyably muscular and straightforward reading by Mark Wigglesworth, who became known to the record collector because of his Shostakovich cycle on BIS (12 years in the making; recently concluded). Playing of the HKPO was very good, and Wigglesworth's conducting was notable for his firm pulse and good rthymic control. In comparison, the reading by Vanska in 2006 was more elastic and consciously shaped.
Paul Watkins may be more familiar to us as cellist of the Nash Ensemble rather than as soloist. For a consummate chamber musician, his tone was surprisingly big and full. Wigglesworth proved equally adept as accompanist, and the collaboration resulted in the best Elgar Cello Concerto we have heard from HKPO. The interpretation heaved and sighed, wistful and exciting at turns, and was well knit. It all sounded quite familiar - we were certain it was closely modeled on the immortal du Pre/Barbirolli recording, but who cares! In 2006, the Elgar was unsatisfactory due to the weak soloist, Trey Lee.
The concert concluded with Wagner's Tannhauser overture. The HKPO tried hard but could not quite convey the lustiness of the score.
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