CALLING this concert “Konstantin Plays Tchaikovsky” leaves no doubt about what its main selling point is.
Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 remains the most popular concerto in the repertoire, and pianist Konstantin Shamray has a strong local following.
One might feel some sympathy for the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, who faced the daunting challenge of Bartok’s Concerto for Orchestra in the second half, but “ASO plays Bartok” probably wouldn’t sell many seats.
The concert began with the Academic Festival Overture by Brahms, played with suitable pomposity, although a little ragged in places. But it seemed like a token gesture before the main event, the Tchaikovsky Concerto.
Given the numerous recordings by many of the greatest pianists, the main interest remaining in a performance of this very familiar music is whether the soloist can bring anything new to it.
Konstantin Shamray is a pianist of great intelligence matched by tremendous power. He is more than a match for the full orchestra when he chooses to unleash that power.
Equally though, he can restrain it in lyrical and reflective moments, using his acute sense of balance to bring out contrapuntal voices with unusual clarity.
The overwhelming impression of his performance though was of formidable strength and vitality, generating an irresistible momentum and excitement.
After interval the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra had its own moment in the virtuoso spotlight in Bartok’s marvellous Concerto for Orchestra, which gives every section a workout.
Under the direction of Norwegian conductor Eivind Aadland, the orchestra acquitted itself admirably, demonstrating that the strength of the orchestra is distributed evenly across the entire ensemble rather than concentrated in a few sections — which is healthy sign for the future.
This work has a huge emotional range as well, from high drama to low comedy, all of which was vividly conveyed.
-Stephen Whittington, The Advertiser
April 20, 2018