When asked by his disciple Ji Lu about serving the spirits of the dead, Confucius replied, “While you are not able to serve men, how can you serve their spirits?” This saying was among the seven chosen by British composer Alexander Goehr for his 2016 work, “The Master Said,” for narrator and chamber orchestra. The piece, which features adagios and a final allegro, is reminiscent of Haydn’s “The Seven Last Words of Our Saviour on the Cross.”
At the Asian premiere of Goehr’s work, the Hong Kong Sinfonietta, conducted by Catherine Larsen-Maguire, featured musical theatre and film composer Leon Ko, who read the original Chinese sayings in Cantonese. Ko’s readings were eloquent, and the Sinfonietta’s performance of the intricate score was impressive. Despite the strong performances, the lack of cohesion between the text and music was frustrating, as the imagery in both elements never seemed to align.
Goehr’s scores are known for their distinctiveness, and highlights included the Messiaen-like birdsong interactions between solo instruments and the dynamic piano and brass sections. The final allegro, responding to Confucius’ statement about death, featured clucking woodwind sounds and was performed with conviction. Nevertheless, the disconnection between the music and the spoken text led to a sense of “confusion.”
The concert opened with the Asian premiere of Charlotte Bray’s “Where Icebergs Dance Away.” Bray, a British composer based in Berlin, has made a significant impact with her commissioned chamber music and large-scale symphonic works. However, this piece, a miniature in ABA ternary form, fell short of showcasing her capabilities. The work depicts an icy landscape with spiky pizzicato strings, but it ultimately returns to its starting point without significant development. Critic Simon Cummings aptly described it as “a flash in the pan that goes nowhere except back to precisely where it just came from.”
The highlight of the evening was Sibelius’ Violin Concerto in D minor. The Hong Kong Sinfonietta’s strings provided a shimmering backdrop for Bulgarian violinist Liya Petrova, who played her 1742 “Rovelli” Guarnerius del Gesù instrument with expressive depth. Petrova’s performance balanced a distant tone with a rich, voluptuous sound, navigating the technical demands of the concerto with skill. The adagio was particularly beautiful, concluding with tranquil bliss.
Principal clarinetist Hee-soo Woo’s lyrical phrasing complemented Petrova’s gutsy sound in the syncopated finale. Despite some tricky double-stopped octaves and up-and-down bow staccato sections sounding slightly forced, Petrova’s overall performance was clean and controlled. Her heartfelt encore of the Sarabande from Bach’s Solo Partita in D minor reflected her respect for historically informed performances.
The Hong Kong Sinfonietta’s concert, featuring strong premieres and a stunning rendition of Sibelius’ Violin Concerto, showcased the orchestra’s versatility and the soloist’s talent, offering a memorable evening of music.
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