By Peter Bucher
With the conference delegates - almost conductors and composers - and one in advanced sold out concert, expectations to the orchestra were high. Besides this, the orchestra came with their new conductor.
The program presented music by Henri Tomasi (Fanfares Liturgique), Jonathan Newman (Concertino for Solo Flute and chamber winds), Toshio Mashima (The Earth – What a Beautiful Planet) and Vittorio Giannini (Symphony No. 3).
"Fanfares Liturgiques“ for 14 Brass- and Percussion Instruments is an opener which to play perfectly is nearly impossible, difficult is this composition. Especially difficult is it for the Horns. Was the 2nd movement wonderful in mood, balance and colors, not quite perfect succeeded tuning and technics. The beautiful “Concertino” (Jonathan Newman) for Solo-Flute (incl. Piccolo & Alto Flute) chamber winds and piano was played by Ayako Maeda, who also belongs to the highly talented and experienced musician of the orchestra. Her virtuosity which came together with oboe and Clarinet in movement III, was impressive. On the other hand, articulatory differences in the tutti parts, little tuning-crudity and a not always perfect balance between Tutti and Solo, were unmistakable. The piece after the intermission “The Earth – What A Beautiful Planet” was commissioned by the orchestra to Toshio Mashima. Composed in a almost popular style, this piece showed once again that balancing between wind- and percussion instruments is always a big challenge.
With Giannini`s (old) Symphony No. 3, the Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra showed its class: high musicianship paired with a richly colored orchestral sound. A very fine job did Paul Meyer as conductor. He`s conducting, elegant, agogic and with much dynamics, is focused only on music. He and the Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra presented us once more a great concert evening.
WASBE thank you very much !