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Perhaps as a cellist I am biased, but Friday night’s recital, given by cellist Rohan de Saram and pianist Noriko Kawai, was astounding. De Saram’s technical precision and virtuosity was impressive and was wonderfully complemented by Kawai’s utterly sensitive and controlled accompaniment.
Although best known for his performances of contemporary music, Rohan de Saram made his name as a classical artist in his twenties and thirties. The best of both worlds was presented here. The concert was dominated by contemporary repertoire – including works by University of York lecturers Dr. John Stringer and Dr. Thomas Simaku – and ended with Schumann’s romantic cycle Fünf Stücke im Volkston (Five Pieces in Folk Style).
De Saram is one of the world’s leading cellists. Having studied with Gaspar Cassado and Pablo Casals – two of history’s most influential cellists – de Saram has performed with major orchestras worldwide, and most recently was cellist with the Arditti Quartet from 1977-2005. De Saram has had many works composed for him; most notably Berio’s final Sequenza, no XIV, for solo cello. The Sequenza’s percussive sounds derive from the rhythmic patterns of the Sri Lankan Kandyan drum, an instrument de Saram has played since childhood.
it had an introspective beauty juxtaposed with movements of animated motion and excitement.
Noriko Kawai is equally renowned as a remarkable performer. Best known for her wide ranging repertoire and innovative concert programmes, she is a professor of piano at the Royal College of Music, London and the Academia di Santa Cecilia in Rome.
The opening work of the concert, Disquiet, by John Stringer was a UK première. Written for Kawai, who premièred the work in Rome in 2008, it had an introspective beauty juxtaposed with movements of animated motion and excitement. Kawai performed with both sensitivity and flair, responding well to the differing characters of the four contrasting miniatures.
Second in the programme was American composer Roger Reynolds’ A Crimson Path for cello and piano. Although requiring highly virtuosic techniques, audience interest was not maintained throughout its lengthy duration. Last in the first half was Stringer’s Lied: Red Elegy for solo cello. Undeniably effective in its extensive and ethereal use of harmonics, a surge into the high registers of the cello brought about the climax of the work. Achieving a variety of interesting textures, the work engaged the audience emotionally.
The second half opened with Italian composer Robert Rusconi’s Fragmento VI: Innodia for solo cello. Created in collaboration with de Saram over a six month period, the work stemmed from three historical focuses: virtuosity created with a particular performer in mind; the monadic and counterpoint characters of solo writing, and an idiomatic approach to the instrument in question. The strength of the collaboration was evident; the writing highly accomplished and ideally suited to de Saram’s playing style. The intricacies of the work required precise control which de Saram achieved with seeming ease.
The penultimate work was the première of Thomas Simaku’s Soliloquy II for solo cello, the second of a triptych of works exploring different sound worlds and characters deriving from the same ‘sound nucleus’. Aptly titled, the work – and its performance – was highly communicative, creating an illusion of speech comparable to an actor on stage.
The evening concluded with Schumann’s lyrical and evocative miniatures. Although an unusual choice with which to end an otherwise exclusively contemporary recital, the cycle provided a perfect contrast and was welcomed by the audience. I think it fair to say that its melodic lines were a welcome relief for much of the audience, the contemporary works having generated a satisfying – but more challenging – listening experience. Composed in 1849, the five engaging miniatures explore the subtle interplay between the two instruments and the communication between de Saram and Kawai was notable. Although de Saram’s playing was less convincing than his interpretation of the contemporary repertoire, it was a very enjoyable performance nonetheless.
Overall, it was an exciting evening and I feel privileged to have heard de Saram and Kawai perform. De Saram’s virtuosity and artistry as a performer was truly inspiring to me as a cellist, and Kawai’s performance was equally noteworthy. I can only hope that they return to York in the future.
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