Variations – Liverpool Philharmonic Hall

This concert performance by one of Europe’s leading orchestra’s The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra is conducted by the recently appointed Domingo Hindoyan.  Hindoyan exudes a great deal of passion throughout tonight’s eclectic and varied programme of classical music.

The programme consisted of four pieces of exquisite music from three of the most outstanding composers of their generation – Bartok, Dohnanyi and Dvorak.

Dvorak’s Slavic Dance op.72 no 2 is performed as a heartfelt tribute to former principal conductor Libor Pesek (1987 until 1997.) This is a short but sweet piece of melodious classical dance with sweeping strings and delicate lightness of touch. It is performed to perfection by the orchestra.

Dohnanyi’s Variations on a Nursery Tune is a delightful and witty suite of comic variations on the theme of the nursery rhyme Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. This piece features the outstanding young pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason who performs with great verve and subtlety throughout.  Originally written by Ernst von Dohnanyi in 1914, he subtitled this composition “for the enjoyment of humorous people and for the annoyance of others” It’s an exciting and vibrant piece of music in which Dohnanyl references many distinctive compositional styles.

Bartok’s The Wooden Prince suite is a one act pantomime ballet composed in 1916 and first performed at the Budapest Opera in the summer of 1917. The piece is set around a fairy tale about a prince who is held captive in an enchanted wood and his love for a princess who he can see from afar. Lesser known than his other works, Bartok’s composition is nevertheless a strong and deeply melodic work that is totally enchanting.

 Dvorak’s Symphony No.9 New World needs no introduction as its probably one of the most popular of all symphonies and the most recognised. Originally composed in 1893 while he was the director of music at the National Conservatory of America, the symphony is strongly influenced by American history and culture. It was a moving and perfect performance of an absolute classic.

This was an evocative and excellent programme of music put together by Hindoyan and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and judging from the audience reaction tonight it really was a first-rate success. The musicianship throughout tonight’s concert was totally off the scale and utterly breath-taking.

Simply outstanding!

Reviewer: Kiefer Williams

Reviewed: 17th November 2022

North West End UK Rating: ★★★★★