Conductor Vasquez, 27, pianist Kadouch, 26, were the stars in the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra’s recent concert.
By URY EPSTEINDavid Kadouch_311(photo credit: Courtesy of Caroline Doutre)Jerusalem ICC, November 22Conductor Christian Vasquez, 27, and pianist David Kadouch, 26, were the stars in the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra’s recent concert.Alberto Ginastera’s Estancia was Venezuelan-born Vasquez’ (27) South- American hors d’oeuvre. With its electrifying folklore-inspired rhythms it was an effective eye-opener at the concert’s beginning.
The soloist of Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto No. 1, French-born Kadouch, enjoyably demonstrated his awareness that Mendelssohn was also a lied composer, and that therefore in his instrumental works, too, melodies have to sing. Kadouch indeed made the piano sing in the work’s melodious passages.In the fast final movement he evoked a sparkling Midsummer Nights’ Dreamlike spirit. A slightly slower tempo of the fast movements might have made for less swallowed notes.Vasquez presented an impressive performance of Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5. His command of the orchestra was authoritative and inspired, though the orchestral transparency was not always quite as clear as it could, or should, be. In particular, the weighty, forceful bass strides of the tubas in the first movement got somewhat lost in the din.
var cont = `Stay Informed
As the war against Hamas unfolds, our unwavering newsroom remains committed to covering Israel's most profound crisis.
Sign up for our newsletter to get real-time news and in-depth analysis from our top reporters.
