(4 / 5)


Sundays in London are naturally dreary. Yet, you can always reply on Wigmore Hall for three concerts at the end of the week. What would prove most alluring is an evening slot with two musicians who have worked together for three decades.

Looking at both Jean-Guihen Queyras & Alexandre Tharaud you would not think this, as they appear quite young in appearance. Their playing matches this, cello and piano has never been so alive. A first half of Poulenc’s Suite françise was the starter and delighted with the slight wisp of irony. Cherry and also at times alarming, the delights never wain. Kurt Weill and his Youkali (arranged by both Queyras and Tharaud), is an attempt at the exotic, for place that is made up. Lyrics would be added later to Youlali, but it was evocative and played with heart by both.

Jean Wiéner and the Sonata for cello and piano is a discovery for me. Aspects of convention mingle with the discordant, in a often sharp, generous piece. Tharaud on piano was alert, with just as many hoops as Queyras faces. We need to hear more! The second half would be mostly straight through a roster of composers spanning three hundred years, at least. Alban Berg’s Vier Stücke was heavy to lead on with, though dynamic, a hypnotism to the ear. Schubert cleansed the pallet thanks to his Adagio from Arpeggione Sonata, musicaly smiling. Britten’s Cello Sonata saw highlights (the first and fifth movments), bouncy, serious and very much shared efforts between both.

Marin Marais was a breif detour to the baroque, the prelude from Suite No. 1 in D mi or (another arrangement by tonight’s players). A delight, which lead to French fare thanks to Debussy’s Cello Sonata prologue and familar Fauré in Sicilienne and Papillon. The Debussy was well met with the Marais, the Fauré is some of the most known, pleasent if a little clichéd. Would Bach have also faired well here? Ending with a handful of the 21 Hungarian Dances from Brahms (more arrangements), the first, seventh and the eternal fifth. All special and the famous fifth got both players over acting for laughs, which was great. Jean Guihen Queyras on cello is special, his destiny is to play it and he does so very well. The grandeur, the ease, the style!