Michael Tumelty
IN its first decade, and in the hundreds of concerts to which it has played host, the Royal Concert Hall has clocked up many fantastic guest soloists. But, in all honesty, I doubt if the hall has witnessed violin playing remotely of the calibre delivered last night by the astounding Israeli/New
York musician Pinchas Zukerman, who appeared both as soloist and conductor of the National Arts Centre Orchestra of Canada.
His performance of Mozart's Third Violin Concerto was like no other I've heard. It was neither old-fashioned nor fashionably authentic. It was simply Zukerman. You could have blindfolded an experienced listener, put him in a different room where he could scarcely hear the sounds, and he'd still recognise that liquid, Zukerman tone. There is no other like it.
His sound is utterly inimitable - as it has been for more than 30 years - from its intense sweetness on high to its throaty richness at the depths of the instrument. His bowing arm is so effortless it appears not to leave his side. His technique is immaculate, his style so unforced it's almost lazy, and his whole demeanour that of a man under not the slightest pressure. And the molten gold that streams from the instrument is completely breathtaking. Fabulous playing.
And he didn't hog the limelight either, giving over centre stage in both Bach's A minor Concerto and the Double Concerto to the gifted 17-year-old Canadian violinist, Jessica Linnebach, who played brightly, confidently, and extremely well.
The NAC Orchestra - not a bad band - responded well to Zukerman's peculiar, laid-back conducting of Denis Gougeon's Primus Tempus (a minimalist descendant of Copland in music) and in a broad,
earthy version of Mozart's Haffner Symphony.
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