GREAT SEASONS IN FLAGEY

The Charlemagne Orchestra for Europe is one of the few chamber orchestras who miracoulously succeeds to survive without government grants  – try it…..

During the concert last Monday, May 10 2010, conductor Bartholomeus-Henri VAN de VELDE led his orchestra through the totally unknown contemporary work of the Russian composer Leonid Desyatnikov (1955°), “The Russian Seasons” for violin, soprano and string orchestra. Soloists were Lorenzo Gatto (violin) and Maria Gavrilova (soprano). What a daring work! …….. to keep the audience in silence and then let explode into enthusiastic applause …is an achievement in itself.

And VAN de VELDE knows precisely how to make this work. Van de Velde, what a temperament, but it’s that passion that makes him succeed. Lorenzo Gatto, different in temperament but an increasingly evolving violinist developing a great maturity – we can hear it once again – follows very closely the vision of conductor and composer. This is straightforward music at the highest level. The performance of Maria Gavrilova; what a voice! What a singer, what a musical lady!

The Great of Schubert

We hear his ninth symphony, after the interlude. Bartholomeus-Henri VAN de VELDE started the andante at a leisurely pace, increasing the transparency. He is not slow, on the contrary, he emphasizes the contrasts. VAN de VELDE is always very attentive to this and he has his very own approach to emphasize contrasts by discreet interventions. This interpretation proved again; this conductor loves score loyalty and respects the great music masters.

The Charlemagne Orchestra for Europe is here in full complement of strings, winds, brass and percussion and knows how to reach the strength in volume and timbre akin to those of a large symphonic orchestra.

Ludwig van Mechelen, Klassiek Centraal