Johannes Moser’s performance of Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations had true star quality.
The young cellist’s engagingly flamboyant manner and instant rapport with the orchestra and audience caught the eye but what really impressed was the quality of his playing.
His big rounded sound instantly engaged one’s attention but his flexibility, subtle nuances of tone, and the ability to switch from swaggering exuberance to quiet and rapt inwardness made this a performance to cherish.
It was supported by excellent playing from the CBSO under Jakub Hrusa.
Hrusa had seemed inhibited and reticent when conducting Mozart’s Prague Symphony, as if it were a sacred text rather than a musical score.
There was not a whiff of diabolism in the opening adagio, where the shade of Don Giovanni should stalk; the andante plodded rather than sang and the final was hardly exhilarating. He was more at home in Rimsky-Korsakov’s colourful Scheherazade.
This was an exhilarating performance with Laurence Jackson leading from the front – his violin made Scheherazade a silkily seductive storyteller capable of charming even the grouchiest Sultan.
The score demands telling contributions from section leaders and there were many noteworthy solos from wind and brass, but bassoonist Gretha Tuls deserves a special mention.
Rating: 4/5
