Midori gives impassioned performance of Tchaikovsky

By Do Je-hae

Staff reporter

Violin virtuoso Midori's concerto performance in Seoul was a prime example of thoughtful interpretation, spellbinding lyricism and effortless virtuosity.

Performing a piece as familiar as Tchaikovsky's violin concerto in D major is a daunting challenge when having to produce a fresh interpretation.

Midori has been performing in concerts for 28 out of her 39 years, and the Tchaikovsky piece has remained a staple in her enormous repertoire.

Midori seemed to know exactly what she wanted to say, using her 1734 Guarnerius del Gesu to express her innermost feelings for one of the greatest masterpieces ever written for the violin.

The piece has been performed and recorded numerous times since its premiere in 1881 and is one of the most respected violin concertos along with those by Brahms and Beethoven.

For playing the Brahms and Beethoven concertos, both of which are also written in D major, violinists are usually advised to wait until they mature to a certain age.

Due to its youthful vigor and sweet melodies, however, the Tchaikovsky work has been a favorite of younger violinists. Korean-American violinist Sarah Chang recorded it for EMI when she was just 11.

Midori was in her mid 20s when she recorded the piece with the Berliner Philharmoniker under Italian maestro Claudio Abbado.

Like the recording which was made in 1995, her playing Thursday with the KBS Symphony Orchestra displayed a wide range of tonal depth, elegant phrases and technical brilliance.

The most touching part of the performance was the second movement "Canzonetta; andante," when she seemed to sing each and every note with a meticulous bowing, resulting in a rare emotional conveyance.

Over the years, the former wunderkind has become more romantic, more emotional in her playing.

"The trick is to stay honest to your feelings. I try to be very close to my heart when I'm playing. I try to be very honest to my musicality," she remarked in an interview.

She played with unusual lightening speed in the finale, executing the hectic passages in the "Allegro vivacissimo" with compelling assurance.

After five curtain calls, Midori gave an encore, playing an enchanting adagio from one of the Bach sonatas for solo violin.