Uto UghiWhen word got out that in line with the Italian National Day celebrations, the Italian Embassy would be bringing in violin virtuoso Uto Ughi to perform at the CCP Main Theater, I immediately secured tickets for myself and convinced friends to do the same. Events like this, especially if admission is free, are always a hit with people and reserving them later would only cause the disappointment of being informed that tickets are no longer available.
And there were indeed a lot of people who attended this concert. There was a very diverse mix of people: members of the diplomatic corps, key figures in local classical music scene, concert regulars and other people who grabbed at this rare opportunity. So even before the concert started, there was already this energy and buzz that made the atmosphere in the lobby very exciting.
So what can I say about the performance? Well I got a bit distracted at the start since there was an announcement that there would be a change of program and I tend to get a bit disappointed about things like that. And the piece that would be replaced was one of the pieces that I’ve been looking forward to that night so. So I wasn’t able to listen that well to the first piece that was played which was Fritz Kreisler’s Praeludium and Allegro in the style of Paganini. I do admit that it’s hard for me to get settled at first during concerts and sometimes it takes a familiar work for me to finally get into the mood. And it was difficult for me this time since the Kreisler piece is an unfamiliar work for me. But I do like to point out that the violin had a very lovely tone and if I’m not mistaken, he was playing with the Guarneri del Gesú violin. And throughout the concert, Ughi was accompanied by Alessandro Specchi on the piano.
And because he played with the Guarneri, he opted not to play with Ludwig van Beethoven’s Violin Sonata No. 9 in A Major, Op. 47 also known as the Kreutzer Sonata which he does with his other violin, the Stradivarius of 1701. Well, that was what I was told but I’m not too sure if that was indeed his reason. And he replaced it with the Violin Sonata No. 5 in F Major Op. 24, which is also known as Spring. Although I am a lot more familiar with this Spring sonata, I was really looking forward to another performance of the Kreutzer sonata since I’ve learned to like it in recent weeks. Yes, Ughi played splendidly, especially the very familiar first movement but I was really hoping that didn’t have that change in the programme.
The disappointment of the first half was nullified by another change in the program at the start of the second half. Instead of playing Henryk Wieniawsky’s Fantasy on Faust Theme, Op. 20, he played Pablo de Sarasate’s Carmen Fantasy, Op. 25 which is one of my favorite violin pieces. And Ughi certainly didn’t disappoint especially during my favorite parts of the piece: the Seguidilla and the Gyspsy Dance. The only thing that could’ve topped this performance was if he played it with an orchestra instead of just having Specchi accompany him on the piano.
I guess that the Sarasate piece had a way of relaxing him since he loosened up a bit and started to talk more to the audience introducing the piece and giving a bit of background about the composer before playing. He explained that the next piece, La Campanella by Niccolo Paganini was from the Violin Concerto No. 2, Op. 7. And he got a bit cheeky, pausing midway through a performance to tell the audience that the section where the bells would come in was already next. If this was a regular concert, I would’ve been aghast by this but I didn’t mind at all since he played Carmen Fantasy after all.
And then came the last piece of the night’s programme which was what I was originally waiting for until the Sarasate piece stole its thunder. I really love Camille Saint-Saëns’ Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso in A Minor, Op. 28 and I’m glad that this piece wasn’t replaced by another. At this point, Ughi already owned the stage and again, the only thing that could’ve made this performance better was having an orchestra playing alongside with him.
The night was still young after he finished this piece and people had some glasses of wine so they thought that Ughi needs to play more. Fortunately, he gave about four encores. The two pieces weren’t really familiar to me but I was told that one of them was The Dance of the Goblins (La Ronde des Lutins), Scherzo fantastique, Op. 25 by Luigi Joseph Bazzini. The last two encores I knew. First was the latter part of Sarasate’s Zigeunerweisen, Op. 20. And the last was the very popular Meditation from Thaïs by Jules Massenet. I wish that he’d played the entire Sarasate piece but I guess that they didn’t have enough time. And I felt that he went a bit too fast with the Massenet piece.
Even after the concert ended, people still hung out at the lobby and enjoyed the food, wine, coffee, gelatto that was served. I’ve had too many espresso shots that night which didn’t help me sleep at all. It was nice bumping into familiar faces many of whom I haven’t seen for the past couple of months. But it was very nice seeing groups of people who, judging from the excitement that they exuded that night, aren’t regular concert goers and are quite new to this. They may be unfamiliar faces to me for now but I do hope that get to be regular concert goers too since they looked like they were having a grand time. And if this actually happens, then it’s mission accomplished for Uto Ughi, Alessandro Specchi and the local arts and culture scene.
Too bad I wasn't able to take any photos since the two musicians immediately had dinner after the performance.
And there were indeed a lot of people who attended this concert. There was a very diverse mix of people: members of the diplomatic corps, key figures in local classical music scene, concert regulars and other people who grabbed at this rare opportunity. So even before the concert started, there was already this energy and buzz that made the atmosphere in the lobby very exciting.
So what can I say about the performance? Well I got a bit distracted at the start since there was an announcement that there would be a change of program and I tend to get a bit disappointed about things like that. And the piece that would be replaced was one of the pieces that I’ve been looking forward to that night so. So I wasn’t able to listen that well to the first piece that was played which was Fritz Kreisler’s Praeludium and Allegro in the style of Paganini. I do admit that it’s hard for me to get settled at first during concerts and sometimes it takes a familiar work for me to finally get into the mood. And it was difficult for me this time since the Kreisler piece is an unfamiliar work for me. But I do like to point out that the violin had a very lovely tone and if I’m not mistaken, he was playing with the Guarneri del Gesú violin. And throughout the concert, Ughi was accompanied by Alessandro Specchi on the piano.
And because he played with the Guarneri, he opted not to play with Ludwig van Beethoven’s Violin Sonata No. 9 in A Major, Op. 47 also known as the Kreutzer Sonata which he does with his other violin, the Stradivarius of 1701. Well, that was what I was told but I’m not too sure if that was indeed his reason. And he replaced it with the Violin Sonata No. 5 in F Major Op. 24, which is also known as Spring. Although I am a lot more familiar with this Spring sonata, I was really looking forward to another performance of the Kreutzer sonata since I’ve learned to like it in recent weeks. Yes, Ughi played splendidly, especially the very familiar first movement but I was really hoping that didn’t have that change in the programme.
The disappointment of the first half was nullified by another change in the program at the start of the second half. Instead of playing Henryk Wieniawsky’s Fantasy on Faust Theme, Op. 20, he played Pablo de Sarasate’s Carmen Fantasy, Op. 25 which is one of my favorite violin pieces. And Ughi certainly didn’t disappoint especially during my favorite parts of the piece: the Seguidilla and the Gyspsy Dance. The only thing that could’ve topped this performance was if he played it with an orchestra instead of just having Specchi accompany him on the piano.
I guess that the Sarasate piece had a way of relaxing him since he loosened up a bit and started to talk more to the audience introducing the piece and giving a bit of background about the composer before playing. He explained that the next piece, La Campanella by Niccolo Paganini was from the Violin Concerto No. 2, Op. 7. And he got a bit cheeky, pausing midway through a performance to tell the audience that the section where the bells would come in was already next. If this was a regular concert, I would’ve been aghast by this but I didn’t mind at all since he played Carmen Fantasy after all.
And then came the last piece of the night’s programme which was what I was originally waiting for until the Sarasate piece stole its thunder. I really love Camille Saint-Saëns’ Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso in A Minor, Op. 28 and I’m glad that this piece wasn’t replaced by another. At this point, Ughi already owned the stage and again, the only thing that could’ve made this performance better was having an orchestra playing alongside with him.
The night was still young after he finished this piece and people had some glasses of wine so they thought that Ughi needs to play more. Fortunately, he gave about four encores. The two pieces weren’t really familiar to me but I was told that one of them was The Dance of the Goblins (La Ronde des Lutins), Scherzo fantastique, Op. 25 by Luigi Joseph Bazzini. The last two encores I knew. First was the latter part of Sarasate’s Zigeunerweisen, Op. 20. And the last was the very popular Meditation from Thaïs by Jules Massenet. I wish that he’d played the entire Sarasate piece but I guess that they didn’t have enough time. And I felt that he went a bit too fast with the Massenet piece.
Even after the concert ended, people still hung out at the lobby and enjoyed the food, wine, coffee, gelatto that was served. I’ve had too many espresso shots that night which didn’t help me sleep at all. It was nice bumping into familiar faces many of whom I haven’t seen for the past couple of months. But it was very nice seeing groups of people who, judging from the excitement that they exuded that night, aren’t regular concert goers and are quite new to this. They may be unfamiliar faces to me for now but I do hope that get to be regular concert goers too since they looked like they were having a grand time. And if this actually happens, then it’s mission accomplished for Uto Ughi, Alessandro Specchi and the local arts and culture scene.
Too bad I wasn't able to take any photos since the two musicians immediately had dinner after the performance.
