Poom Prommachart, piano
Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra
Olivier Ochanine, conductor
Programme:
Sergei Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30
Gustav Mahler Symphony No. 1 Titan
Time really flew so fast and before I knew it, it was already the last concert of the 28th season Bold Strokes New Growth of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra. And it was also exactly a year ago when Olivier Ochanine made his debut with the orchestra as its principal conductor and music director. The PPO has been on a roll lately and they seemed determined to end their season on a high note.
Getting to the Cultural Center of the Philippines was difficult for me since there were numerous events happening simultaneously resulting in terrible traffic that made me worry a bit if I would make it on time. Thankfully I did make it on time since I didn’t want to miss the first piece which was Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30 also known as THE Rach 3. And the soloist for this piece was a young Thai pianist named Poom Prommachart.
I like to tease piano majors by asking them when they will play the Rach 3. And their responses have always amused me since it felt as if I’ve asked them to walk on a high tight rope without a safety net while juggling knives. That’s how piano majors dread the thought of ever performing this piece. Despite not being as lyrical as the composer's Second Piano concerto, or Rach 2, this piece has become popular as well because it was featured in the movie Shine and was also used by Michelle Kwan in one of her most memorable ice skating programs.
I was very much pleasantly surprised with Prommachart’s Rach 3. From the start, he displayed such control and restraint which really highlighted the contrasts in dynamics. I really liked how the subtle moments at the beginning was able to shape the piece and the payoff came during the cadenza. There was indeed elegance, subtlety in him that really highlighted the bravura passages that he executed with impeccable control. Less capable pianists would’ve pounded their way throughout the piece but Prommachart was a master in shaping the piece, making it sing and sound fully alive. He is still very young but he played with such musicality and expression that can usually be achieved only when one has experienced the full spectrum of life.
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| Pianist Poom Prommachart |
Unfortunately, a lot of people came in late and weren’t allowed to enter the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater) once the performance started. And it didn’t help at all that in the Rachmaninoff piece, there was no break at all in between the second and third movements.
The second and last piece for the evening was Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 1 also known as Titan. Ochanine mentioned in his opening remarks and that this piece has a special meaning to him. And I did feel it during the performance of this piece. It felt like that actual moment was the realization of his childhood dreams and that he needed to savor it and preserve it in his memory and hope that it never fades. It had been a very crazy year for him as the music director and principal conductor of the PPO, and his conducting of this Mahler symphony felt like he’d go through all that craziness again just to be on that moment.
The Mahler had an interesting start with the trumpets performing off stage during the beginning of the first movement. The effect with the sound coming from somewhere “distant” and somewhat signaling the arrival or start of something was quite a nice touch and it felt like having surround speakers. But the movement that really drew me in was the third. I find it hard to understand how three unusual themes, especially the eerie first theme, found its way on a Symphony called Titan. No wonder the first audiences reacted negatively to it. As odd as this movement is, it was indeed the one that I anticipated the most. I never imagined that I’d get excited seeing the double bass deliver its solo. But for me, this piece really highlighted the brass section especially in the end. I’ve had some issues regarding the orchestra’s spotty brass from their previous performances but thankfully this time they delivered. And as per Mahler’s instructions, the horn players did stand up in the end which added more flair to an already exciting ending to the piece.
It was a great night and the only complaint that I have is that they removed the previously announced Alan Hovhaness' Symphony No. 2 Mysterious Mountain in the programme. Ochanine’s opening remarks said that the concert would be too long had they retained that symphony. But he told me afterwards that they will play it someday. Also unfortunate was that a lot of the audience members missed the first part of the concert because of the infamous Metro Manila traffic. Special thanks to Dr. Raul Sunico, President of the CCP and Dean of the University of Sto. Tomas Conservatory of Music for the generous seat upgrade and I was able to experience watching the orchestra in one of the best seats in the theater.
The Masterclass
The morning after the concert, Prommachart conducted a masterclass at the University of Sto. Tomas and I was very fortunate to be there. I learned a lot from him especially about shaping the piece, creating areas of interest and making the piece more alive instead of just being noise. He was very warm, at times funny and animated that he made the students loosen up since they tended to become stiff due to nervousness. It was a morning well spent and it definitely made me want to do better than the ill-prepared Chopin piece that I played for him when things were wrapping up.
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| RAd with Poom Prommachart |
I do hope that Prommachart returns soon for another performance since I want to see him play more. The Rach 3 performance and the masterclass weren't enough in my opinion. And someone did suggest during the intermission at the concert that he return after a decade. But a decade is too long and it better be a lot sooner than that.
Text by RAd
Photos by Poom Prommachart
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