The excellence of well selected music
The first piece of the evening, Dvorak’s Wind Serenade, is preceded by a short introduction from conductor Domingo Hindoyan discussing the nature and relevance of the three short symphonies. Whilst there are differences, we are told, in the tone and feel of the different pieces to be played they all follow similar musical themes and arrangements – Dvorak indeed supposedly being inspired by Brahms.
Not only this, but all are accomplished with few instruments compared to a full orchestra. Indeed, the relatively small space of the auditorium is therefore an excellent choice; allowed by the smaller ensemble the closeness of the room not only helps render each instrument with a greater clarity but gives the whole performance a more intimate feel than a larger music hall.
Hindoyan also explains how the three pieces can be related by their adherence to a much stricter musical form than one might expect for this type of music. This is an insight which becomes readily apparent as the performance continues, thanks in no small part to the skill and precision of the musicians of the orchestra, repeatedly demonstrating a control over, and engagement with, the material and with their instruments.
The rise and fall of wind instruments in Dvorak’s Serenade builds to a crescendo that could almost be at home in an overture before giving way to the softer yet no less lively viola of Hindemith’s Kammermusik – something which benefits greatly from the acoustics of the smaller auditorium. The interplay between these two short pieces very much highlights the relationship between these works and why they, in particular, have been selected to accompany the focal performance of Brahms’ Serenade No. 2. There is certainly a degree of contrast, but also a strange symmetry between the two.
The second half of the performance, following the interval, is devoted entirely to Brahms’ Serenade – five movements over the course of around half an hour. The piece is bright and lively for the most part, though the lulls in certain movements – sometimes there may be only one or two instruments vocalising at a time – make for a pleasant contrast when they arrive. This piece – as with Kammermusik before it – benefits greatly from the acoustics of the room and even those lulls with scarce instrumentation never feel too thin or quiet. Again there is an obvious contrast with the previous two pieces in terms of its tone and the range of its movements, however the structure remains recognisable and apparent throughout.
The titular piece finishes with the swell of Rondo: Allegro, its final movement, and rounds out a particularly memorable, and particularly well performed, selection of music. The pieces were excellently chosen and performed, as is often the case with the musicians of the Liverpool Philharmonic, fantastically. Definitely a very worthwhile performance.