Spotlight on Ochanine, Tiu/ Chino continues to amaze

Wielding the baton over the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra at the CCP Main Theater, Maestro Olivier Ochanine took the audience to exciting, picturesque sites via remarkable aural sounds in Rimsky-Korsakoff’s Scheherazade. The fantasy tale recounted by Princess Scheherazade to the Sultan for a thousand and one nights, to stop him from executing her, was conveyed by vigorous, vibrant rhythms contrasting with slow, lambent ones, the ensemble’s widely-ranging dynamics enhanced by solo instruments — all these creating an appropriately surrealistic ambiance. The Maestro gestured to the soloists to each take a deserved bow.

Rachmaninoff’s Vocalise, originally composed for singer and pianist, retained its beautifully flowing, languorous melodic lines as interpreted by the orchestra, with Ochanine’s baton holding the audience spellbound.

Albert Tiu’s master’s touch was obvious throughout Rachmoninoff’s Concierto No. 2 in C Minor.  Although the Concierto is frequently performed, Tiu infused into it his own distinctive virtuosity. He opened the work with full, sonorous, thunderous chords, these followed by the strings in arpeggios, intricate, labyrinthine piano passages ensuing.

The second movement’s cadenza asserted nothing less than Tiu’s virtuosity, this stressed even more by the third movement with its melody transformed into the popular song “Full Moon and Empty Arms.” Echoed by the orchestra, the melody, reinforced by Tiu’s powerful, fully controlled fortissimos, ended in an overwhelming conclusion.

Violinist Joaquin Maria “Chino” Gutierrez, 24, continued to amaze listeners in a recital of prodigious works at F. Santiago Hall. Bach’s Chaconne for solo violin was a flawless, flowing rendition, the rest of the numbers assisted by leading pianist Corazon P. Kabayao. Tartini’s Sonata in D Minor was indeed the “Devil’s Trill” with Chino’s violin breathing fire and brimstone as it did in Bloc’s brief, fiery “Three Pictures of Hassadic Life.”

The second movement of Tchaikovsky’s “Memories of a Dear Place” was swiftly and intensely interpreted.  With Chino rising magnificently to its technical and emotional demands as he displayed utmost skill and dexterity, the work ended in exquisite lyricism which drew from Chino’s rich emotional resources.

Sarasate’s Carmen Fantasy eloquently portrayed in music the flirtatious, sensuous, restless, unpredictable Carmen, the tricky, intricate passages played with brilliance and bravura, the slow ones with fine restraint. Brahm’s Sonata  No. 3 in D Minor conveyed Chino’s total grasp of romantic music.

The recital was a sweeping triumph for both violinist and pianist, each totally complementing the other’s power, intensity, passion, command of technique and sensitive artistry.  Rapport was impeccable. 

Regretfully, I missed Vicky Zubiri’s Filfest presentation of the Manila Symphony Orchestra which coincided with Chino’s performance dedicated to icons Oscar Yatco and Gilopez Kabayao.