Beethoven’s piano concerto, naturally less performed than the original version for violin and orchestra, is undoubtedly of great interest, not least because of the original piano cadenza of the Allegro ma non troppo that revealed the versatility of the German genius to the general public. Admittedly, some of the lofty timbres achieved with the violin’s held and vibrant sounds are somewhat toned down pianistically, but overall the operation operated by Beethoven has its validity. The orchestra conducted by Massimiliano Caldi found as soloist the 24-year-old, Russian-born Gorizian Alexander Gadjiev. We found the performance given by the orchestra of I Pomeriggi and conductor Caldi to be of aesthetic relevance. Gadjiev’s piano part was excellent, and he was able to externalize his interpretive confidence and timbral depth in the long Beethovenian cadenza, also assisted in the concluding part by the timpani.
The second part, in the late afternoon, featured a performance rarity with Górecki’s short Three Pieces in the Ancient Style and then Respighi’s little-performed Trittico Botticelliano. The calm and thoughtful performances by Caldi and I Pomeriggi were excellent.The timbral value in the aggregate especially in the many strings, revealed the coloristic qualities of both composers who borrowed ancient and Baroque music for a restitution in a twentieth-century key of undoubted aesthetic quality. The full-bodiedness of the Polish composer’s pleasant dissonances and the Bolognese composer’s Vivaldi-like ones also convinced the large audience in attendance, which gave relevant concluding applause. Worth remembering.
Caesar Guzzardella
Source: Courier Bit