Concert review | Manfred Honeck electrified the RSO at its best

Radio’s symphony orchestra at Musiikkitalo on Friday, May 17. Conductor Manfred Honeck, Augustin Hadelich, violin. – Dvořák.

The capital I have usually learned to trust the level of orchestral concerts, but when something extra appears on top of it, the leap is amazingly big, intoxicating and meaningful.

Every few years, an Austrian leading the RSO Manfred Honeck is such an electrifying visitor. As a conductor, he is of the old school, which favors a big timbre, big tempo changes, emphatic characterization, powerful climaxes and a wide range of tones to the extremes.

Antonín Dvořák the program consisting of works is obviously particularly dear to Honecki. He has compiled it himself Rusalka-from the music of the opera by the Czech composer of the orchestra series Tomáš Illen with. Honeck has also made similar sets Leoš Janáček’s from Jenůfa mixed by R. Strauss From Electra and From Salome.

Overflowing with lovely melodies and brilliant party music Rusalka-fantasy joins the company of Dvořák’s fine tone poems. Visiting concert master Pekko Pulakka had the honor of presenting the opera’s brightest melodic gem, Rusalka I sing to the moon.

Another expected guest was a violinist Augustin Hadelich, whose demanding, but if successful, rewarding task was to get the A minor concerto op. 53 to make their voices heard in the middle of a big orchestra. The violin is hardly silent for a moment. Characters and melodic ideas change direction in the concerto.

Hadelich’s radiant, solidly projected and wide-singing violin voice stood out beautifully from the rich orchestral fabric. As an extra, Hadelich played his top virtuoso arrangement Ervin T. Rousen from a bluegrass song Orange Blossom Special. After Hadelich’s performances, the chorus of applause was so strong that you rarely hear it.

If is looking for the essence of Czechness in music, you can find one in Dvořák’s eighth symphony. Natural themes, folk dances and songs, and the mythical atmosphere of the fairy tale flowed over the listener in a wide stream.

Honeck chose the tempo for each phrase, character and episode separately, but at the same time kept to his choice strictly. There was a feeling of both great flexibility and great stability.

An example of Honecki’s original solutions was the drumming note of the violas in the finale, which was played col legno, with the wooden part of the bow. The interpretation of the symphony was both gently caressing and fiery and strong.

The conductor’s ideas are nothing without the RSO, which as a whole, in groups of instruments and in its solos rose to its bravest sound, its most beautiful singing and its most striking rhythm.