Czech mate
Amal Choucri Catta finds herself among the few
Symphonic and Chamber Orchestra Concerts; cond. Pieralberto Cattaneo; Mohamed Shamseddin, piano, Islam Nour, violin, Hassan Moataz, cello; Rossini, overture to An Italian in Algiers, Beethoven Triple Concerto, Opus 56, Dvorak Czech Suite, Opus 39. Main Hall Cairo Opera House, 15 February, 8pm
The general mood was perhaps impaired by the realisation that there would be more musicians on stage than listeners in the Main Hall. And reduced to around 50 instrumentalists, the Cairo Chamber Orchestra, despite all effort by the Italian conductor Pieralberto Cattaneo, did at times sound destitute of volume. Originally planned for the Opera's Small Hall, nobody was quite sure how this concert had found its way into the large theatre. Audiences are generally spare on the ground when chamber music concerts are scheduled and last Saturday was, regrettably, no exception. Regrettably, because the concert, though not overwhelmingly fascinating, was interesting, introducing three young and talented soloists: Mohamed Shamseddin at the piano, cellist Hassan Moataz and violinist Islam Nour. They gave a stimulating version of Beethoven's Triple Concerto for piano, violin, cello and orchestra in C-major, Opus 56, a "large work" according to the composer, transformed here, however, into a kind of piano trio with orchestra. The Allegro started beautifully, with cellos, genuinely dignified in the lower keys suddenly turning turbulently dramatic as the entire orchestra joined in the Fortissimo before wandering into the tender melody, when the cello's solo took over, followed by the violin and the piano, each repeating the same theme. Soloists and orchestra blended marvellously.
Mohamed Shamseddin has often been admired for his excellent keyboard performances. Born in 1984, he made his piano debut at 13, playing Mozart's Concerto No.20 with the Academy of Arts Symphony Orchestra. In 1999 he was placed third in the 9th Frederic Chopin Competition for young pianists, in Italy, and in 2000 won first prize at the third Brevard Music Festival piano competition in the US where, a year later, he was also a winner of the Concerto Competition. Brother of soprano Taheya Shamseddin, Mohamed is a gifted musician. Tall, slender, debonair, his performances are filled with ease and elegance.
His interpretation of Beethoven was matched by that of cellist Hassan Moataz. Born in 1980, Moataz joined the Cairo Conservatoire at the age of nine, winning several local prizes. He worked with the Mediterranean Orchestra in France in 1995, 96 and 98, and with orchestras in Germany in 1999. He has toured France, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Denmark, Syria, Lebanon and Morocco. His interpretation had future virtuoso written all over: his touch is one of subtle confidence and he knows how to dazzle his audiences with solo firework displays of spellbinding brilliance. He is one of the rare specimen of musicians who play with their hearts and not only their brains. His Beethoven was magnificent.
The same, unfortunately, cannot be said of violinist Islam Nour, or Islam Noureddin as he is called at times. He was the weakest of the trio: technically and musically he remains far from real virtuosity. On stage he appears unsure, relying entirely on the conductor or on one of the soloists for each and every cue. He nevertheless gave us, at times, a good Beethoven, particularly in the beautiful sequence in the second movement, the Largo. Islam Nour is undoubtedly promising, though it is a promise that has yet to be converted into real achievement. He visibly has a long way to go.
The third and last movement of the Triple Concerto, Finale, rondo alla Polacca, was the best of the three; even the Maestro seemed happy with it, smiling and taking his bows. Cairene audiences have always been kind-hearted: mostly they applaud gallantly, even when the performance does not quite live up to its billing, and tonight was no exception.
The concert started with six repeated pizzicati opening the prelude to Rossini's two act opera An Italian in Algiers, based on the tale of Rosellana, beautiful, ravishing favourite of Sultan Selim the Second: Rosellana, however, was a slave, or so the legend goes. In Rossini's opera she becomes an Italian lady by name Isabella, while the Sultan is replaced by a certain Mustafa Bey, a tyrant from Algiers.
Naturally all is well that ends well and, as the story has a happy end, so has the overture. It was a lovely debut, with an excellent andante, a vibrant allegro and one of Rossini's most vibrant finales.
The evening continued somewhat unexpectedly with an intruder: a piece by Felix Mendelssohn that had not been included in the programme and which was hastily announced by the first violinist. The audience thought it would be played instead of Antonin Dvorak's Czech Suite, Opus 39, but this was not to be the case: Mendelssohn, a rather brief intruder, was a last- minute addition to a relatively short programme.
Poor old Mendelssohn: quite what he had done to be treated like a ghost at the banquet is anyone's guess. He is, after all, genuinely popular among audiences. His unannounced arrival simply served to underline something that has long been apparent: more attention needs to be paid by the relevent authorities to the programming of concerts. All too often they are either too long, or else they are too short. Seldom does the Opera House manage a successful compromise.
If Mendelssohn was a welcome intruder Dvorak, as billed, proved less popular. The second part of the concert found the main hall emptier than the first part, and that meant very empty. Those who had come to applaud the three young soloists had left with their friends during the intermission, abandoning Dvorak and his Suite to the few who would have preferred something a little more substantial but who accepted the meagre second part of the programme, applauding the suite's five movements with genuine sincerity.
In this suite Dvorak expresses an aspect of Czech nationalism, with a tranquil preludium, a sparkling polka for the second movement, followed by a charming menuet and a dreamy romance, before delving into the final furiant of the fifth movement. Nostalgic, moody, filled at times with sorrow and melancholy, at times with joy and laughter, the varied moods of the composition were conveyed with charm.
Al-Ahram Weekly Online : 20 - 26 February 2003 (Issue No. 626)
Located at: http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2003/626/cu4.htm