City Hall Theatre, Wednesday January 18

Conceptually, “Paris and Shanghai” sounded quite romantic, but as a programme that combined Saint-Saens, Chausson, Franck, Debussy and Ravel with Huang Zi, it was a bit like a slice of smelly tofu sandwiched within buttery croissant!

Programming aside, this installment of the 3rd Hong Kong International Chamber Music Festival was luxueux et magnifique. The more intimate setting of the City Hall Theatre gave the chamber pieces the warmth and propinquity that they were originally crafted for. Straight away, the texture and harmonies of Saint-Saens’ Fantasie for Violin & Harp, brilliantly played by Cho-Liang Lin & Naoko Yoshino, took on an unrelentingly delicate shade. Soprano Ying Huang was splendid in the pain and yearning of Chausson’s Chanson Perpetuelle. The highlight of the 1st half however was Franck’s Sonata in A Major. Though it was originally intended for violin, this transcription for flute was undeniably superior, especially in the hands of Marina Piccinini and Andreas Haefliger. The dynamic nuances and tonal coloring from Piccinini’s flute lifted every turn and phrase.

Huang Zi’s Five Chinese Songs, arranged by Yi-Wen Jiang, opened the 2nd half. Ying Huang, accompanied by the Shanghai Quartet, gave a luminous performance. However, the arrangement sounded a bit contrived or too clever-by-half to match the vocal line.

Piccinini, Paul Neubauer and Yoshino also turned in a fine performance of Debussy’s Sonata for Flute, Viola and Harp. They gave the work a poignant tenderness that balanced the Elysian association of the flute and harp. The performances that I enjoyed most, though, were the classic coupling of Debussy's Danses Sacree et Profane with Ravel's Introduction and Allegro. Yoshino proved herself to be an exceptional harpist in both pieces, whilst her companions were splendidly supportive. Between the two performances, it is very difficult to choose one, but if forced, it has to be the Ravel. The ensemble responded to the music’s lush languor and dizzying dashes with delicious immediacy that was also thrillingly soothing. 

Satoshi Kyo