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Limelight
8 May 2014
Israeli-born Avi Avital is the latest high profile international musician to grace the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra’s 25th birthday year and surprisingly turns out to be the first time that they have presented a mandolin virtuoso. Having spent a very pleasant half an hour in Mr Avital’s company last Monday, I was looking forward to hearing him put into music the ideas that he communicated so eloquently in conversation. He didn’t disappoint.
The 34-year-old man with a mission – for his music and his instrument – presented a range of work from one of Vivaldi’s delightful lute concertos to a couple of pieces by Bach: a violin concerto and one of his flute sonatas. In the second half, he took us beyond the Baroque with an excursion into the 20th century via Bartók and De Falla. All of these works were arrangements, but you wouldn’t know it, so skilfully were they chosen to present the mandolin’s unique musical voice.
The first thing that strikes you about Avi Avital is his energy. A Byronic figure in black velvet (and a very nice pair of shoes), his high-voltage onstage presence is a treat, the joy in his playing evident at every turn. He exudes musicality and was easily able to transport his audience in Baroque repertoire through his palpable joie de vivre in the fast sections and an emotional intensity in the beautifully paced slow movements. Paul Dyer and a relatively pared down ABO accompanied with sensitivity and an evident pleasure in watching their soloist weave
his magic. A particular highlight was the rapt andante from the Bach flute sonata, which saw Avital place an immaculately timed singing line over Dyer on harpsichord, while Jamie Hay and Tommie Andersson strummed along on baroque cello and therobo.
The second half saw the ABO channelling their inner folkies as they played along to Manuel de Falla’s engaging dance from his opera La Vida Breve and, the highlight of the evening for me, Béla Bartók’s Six Romanian Folk Dances. Shrugging off the formal constraints of the Baroque allowed the soloist’s passion full rein. We were even treated to a selection of encores, including a whacky Bulgarian dance, in 15/16 apparently (!), which Avital was taught backstage at a music festival by an accordionist – though how those Bulgars dance in 15/16 remains a mystery…
The audience were clearly delighted, and no wonder. Avi Avital is in Australia until May 18. Do try to catch him – he really is something of a one-off.
Avi Avital plays Sydney and Melbourne until May 18.
