Evening 3 – May 29, 2024
Klassiek Centraal brings you a report of both candidates defending their finalist place for each final evening. To avoid being influenced, swept away or affected by third-party commentary, we do not follow commentary discussions before or after, we do not read commentary. This is how we hope to present an objective opinion. May the best win.
Each finalist will perform the mandatory work, Variations Litaniques, which was specially written for the final of this violin session by Thierry Escaich (world premiere on Monday, May 27, 2024), and a concerto of their choice, with the Belgian National Orchestra, conducted by Antony Hermus. The announcement of the ranking of the laureates will take place after the last performance, on Saturday, June 1 around midnight.
Anna Im (Korea, °1997)
Programme
A general note: the 'disadvantage' of hearing the mandatory work multiple times is that your own idea is formed and you start to expect the candidate to play it the way you would play it (if you could at all…). It's always pressing the reset button and listening as if hearing the work for the first time.
- Thierry Escaich: Variations Litaniques
- Jean Sibelius: Concerto in d op. 47
Anna Im enters as she should, exceptionally refined, cautious, with impressive build-up. She breathes the work as if she has known it for a long time. She accents remarkably well with plenty of phrasing. The litany with its variations we hear here is one of pleading, hoping, overcoming fears or not, but all of this with conscious caution. Yes indeed, such a prayer must surely have reached the Good Father. Will he reward her in the final verdict of this competition?
Suddenly we find ourselves in the Finnish dark winter night, it is cold outside, we are dreaming of the coming spring. The nature around us is silent and the air thin. Yes, that's how we feel when Sibelius' concerto begins, which Im performs here in a way that could well place her well ahead in this competition. The story continues and goes deeper. You simply must listen and not a sigh will disturb all of this. One more word about this performance in general: grandiose.
Technically, this Korean violinist is absolutely at the top, there is absolutely nothing to criticize, nothing to hear that could disturb you about any kind of extraneous sound, she plays exceptionally pure, does not over-vibrate. She listens to what she plays, deeply sensitive, eyes closed, no exaggerated facial expressions. A soloist with a future, that is already certain.
Elli Choi (United States of America, °2001)
Programme
- Thierry Escaich: Variations Litaniques
- Dmitry Shostakovich: Concerto no. 1 in a op. 77
The Variations Litaniques as Elli Choi performs them are not immediately heartbreaking. She remains rather flat and plays mainly technically, which she does perfectly. The young violinist fails sufficiently to captivate, to bring a story. She plays a score, that is true, but rather without in-depth interpretation and that is where much of the power of this imposed work lies. She leaves the listener somewhat wanting. Well, try to do it yourself, learning such a work in a matter of days, making it your own, building a vision and performing it as if it were a regular repertoire piece… Competitions are tough.
Well now, if Shostakovich' Concerto can be compared in content to the imposed work by Escaich, even though David Oistrakh, who premiered it, called it more demonic… Choi is much more subtle here, more cautious as it really should be, at times clever enough, but simply not powerful enough. She doesn't really phrase. There is much vibrato at play here, but that is as it should be. Given the time the work came to light and knowing who premiered it, a strong vibrato is required. In the 'diabolical' part it must really be more powerful, more fanatic, more compelling. This heavy work is just beyond the capability of this candidate.
