Kochanovsky and Lupo, an evening of refined musicianship

KOCHANOVSKY and LUPO, an evening of refined musicianship. 

By Christopher Axworthy Music Commentary.

Stanislav Kochanovsky made up for with a refined music palette reminiscent of the great German conductors of the past like Eugene Jochum or Otto Klemperer. […] Again in Taneev it was the perfect balance and sense of line. The musical line passing from chorus to orchestra with such simple gestures from a conductor who was listening so attentively and undemonstratively to the great architectural line and drawing them all together in a sumptuous amalgam of sounds.

A true revelation was a work by Taneev written in 1883/1884. A Cantata for chorus and orchestra op 1 based on a poem by Aleksej Tolstoy: Giovanni di Damasco. [...] A fascinating discovery, I imagine that of today’s conductor where on reading his curriculum I learn that he has great interest in performing rarely heard works from the past.

It needs a great musician to bring this score [Scriabin Piano Concerto] to life as we heard tonight. Such refined sounds from the piano of Benedetto Lupo always ready to accompany with magical filigree embellishments. Great virtuosity too but always at the service of the musical line. […] Not the usual barnstorming performance we are used to [Stravinsky Firebirds] but a refine distillation of the magic sounds of the young Stravinsky.

(c) Musacchio Ianniello & Pasqualini.

It was the perfect balance and sense of line that allowed us to follow so clearly this unjustly neglected work.The chorus in particular was capable of almost whispered sounds but of perfect ensemble .The musical line passing from chorus to orchestra with such simple gestures from a conductor who was listening so attently and undemonstratively to the great achitectural line and drawing them all together in a sumptuous amalgam of sounds.