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Christopher Halls

You have to admire long-standing ensembles that still retain the spirit and sound that their original founders intended.
The acclaimed Academy of St Martin in the Fields (ASMF) began its first Hong Kong Arts Festival (HKAF) concert on Saturday, March 28, fittingly enough, with something quintessentially British: Edward Elgar’s Serenade for String Orchestra.
Positioned further back on stage than most groups appearing at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall, the ASMF projected breezy wafts of sound in the Serenade’s opening Allegro piacevole that echoed sentiments of “old English” refinement and the true spirit of their late founder, conductor and violinist Neville Marriner.
For the Serenade, the well-oiled machine gave a reading that was clearly driven by the ensemble’s dexterous concertmaster Zsolt-Tihamer Visontay.
And as optically fluid as his direction was, Hong Kong-born guest conductor Wilson Ng was never going to rock the steady boat that is Marriner’s legacy.
In Elgar’s brief, meticulously-marked score, the ensemble happily presented the inherent charm of the twilight-hued piece on their own terms, and even when elements of routine crept in, their tender utterances of pure nostalgic sentiment in the central Larghetto (slow movement) were warm and heartfelt.
The main feature of Saturday’s show, however, saw South Korean star pianist Yunchan Lim captivate listeners with a compelling performance of Schumann’s Piano Concerto in A minor.

After receiving a K-pop star-style reception from the enthusiastic audience, Lim, who has made numerous waves on the international circuit since becoming the youngest winner of the prestigious Van Cliburn competition in 2022, brought much to the table in the way of introspection and reflection in Schumann’s Allegro affettuoso opening.
Delicate, exquisitely judged phrasing was gold as the 22-year-old pianist switched effortlessly between the composer’s unique blend of drama and intimacy as he spelled out the minor and major guises of Clara Schumann’s motif with the utmost sensitivity along the way.
Just as the early bustle of agitated strings and the poised elegance of Benjamin Mellefont’s clarinet solo depicted both Schumann’s polarised personas to a tee (the impulsive Florestan and the dreamy Eusebius), Lim too wove his very own creative contrasts into the mix, though never as a flashy soloist and always with unfailing focus on his fusion with the orchestra.
An intimate, otherworldly exchange between oboist James Hulme and Lim was also sublime and soon led to a solo cadenza from the young soloist that encapsulated everything from rhythmically urgent passagework to playful jazz-like inflections and profound moments of tender yearning.
Equally tender were the exchanges between Lim and the players in the Intermezzo, which were guided carefully by Ng, allowing the cello section ample space to eventually blossom with full, heartfelt resonance in their solo theme.

A slick segue leading into the Allegro vivace set the stage then for a finale that was a roller coaster of a romp from go to whoa, where finely shaped dynamic hairpins – the quasi mini crescendos and diminuendos – were woven into the movement’s ebb and flow and then developed further by Lim with his natural whimsicality.
Given the ensemble’s fine “chamber” qualities and their affinity for textural transparency, the embellished ASMF may have fared better after interval by sticking to the “winning team” of Schumann and concluding with one of his four symphonies.
As compact as the sound was for the most part, the orchestra’s “lighter” treatment of Brahms’ Symphony No 2 in D Major under Ng’s direction was unremarkable in terms of both musical substance and structural coherency.
Even if there were enough worthy contributions along the way to save the day, such as strong, blazing brass showings, expansive playing in the Adagio from the lower strings, and tightly knit scherzo dances in the Allegro grazioso, much of the motivic treatment came across as somewhat distant and matter of fact from the ensemble’s position rear of stage.
Fortunately though, the vivaciousness that Ng and the musicians lent the Allegro con spirito made for a thoroughly refreshing finale, save some elements of mystery that went amiss on each return of the hushed opening’s busyness. Without a shadow though, and as far as encores go, Elgar’s “Nimrod” movement from his Enigma Variations was a moving and fitting way to round off the evening, showcasing the stronger side of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields and their cultivated sound profile.


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The Academy of St Martin in the Fields put on a spirited performance with South Korean pianist Yunchan Lim and guest conductor Wilson Ng


The Academy of St Martin in the Fields put on a spirited performance with South Korean pianist Yunchan Lim and guest conductor Wilson Ng.


World of performing arts

Hong Kong Arts Festival

Review

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The Academy of St Martin in the Fields put on a spirited performance with South Korean pianist Yunchan Lim and guest conductor Wilson Ng

The Academy of St Martin in the Fields put on a spirited performance with South Korean pianist Yunchan Lim and guest conductor Wilson Ng