Every summer, and that has been the case since 1986, the Brussels Festival Midis-Minimes traverses music history, from the Middle Ages to today. This year, the discovery journey exceptionally started in the Zavelkerk, with the so-called "Triple Concerto", a unique oddity from the oeuvre of Ludwig Van Beethoven with which he let the worlds of chamber and orchestral music merge together.
So no vocal repertoire at this festive opening concert, and yet the thirty-sixth edition of Midis-Minimes is under the sign of singing, with the apotheosis on August 31st the tribute by the Choeur de Chambre de Namur to birthday boy César Franck (1822-1890). But before that, the festival also puts the piano and string quartet in the spotlight, specifically during the week of July 18 and August 22. So over the coming two months there is something for everyone every afternoon, according to the tried and tested recipe: short concerts of just over half an hour, with a handful of works on the programme, and that for a pittance (6 euros). It's up to you to discover it and share it with others, for example through an even more sharply priced admission pass for five or ten concerts. Because "la musique n'a de sens qu'en concert vivant, moment de partage!"
Speaking is Bernard Mouton in the latest issue of Larsen (May-June 2022, p. 4), the musical current affairs magazine of the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles. Mouton has been artistic director of Festival Midis-Minimes for twenty-two years, and for several years also of L'Été Mosan. While the latter festival settles in various locations, Midis-Minimes has been linked since time immemorial to the concert hall of the Brussels conservatory. Except that this year it's a bit different. In the run-up to the restoration that will finally start in 2024, the conservatory is inaccessible throughout July. The organ is being dismantled. That is why during the first half the festival takes refuge across the Regentschapsstraat, in the beautiful Onze-Lieve-Vrouw ter Zege at the Zavelkerk, after which it returns to the familiar location from the beginning of August.
"Grand concerto concertant"
That's why it was no coincidence that it appeared in French on the title page of the work for pianoforte, violin, cello and orchestra that was first published by Beethoven in 1807. It was indeed in France that the genre of the sinfonia concertante – a concert with two or more soloists – had its heyday since the middle of the 18th century. The composer dedicated his opus 56 to Prince Lobkowitz, as thanks to the man who had made it possible in the spring of 1804 for the so-called "Triple Concerto" to be performed twice, in private circles and together with the Eroica symphony. The combination of a piano trio with orchestra was an experimental rarity at the time, and would remain so well into the 20th century. And although Beethoven himself sat at the keys at the premiere, it is especially the other two instruments that lead the dance. Especially the cello has a remarkably demanding part and, after an orchestral introduction, has the first word in each of the three movements. Beethoven never came closer to a cello concerto than this.
For this afternoon's performance, the Ensemble Orchestral de Bruxelles under the direction of Jacques Vanherenthals was accompanied by young Brussels pianist Cassandre Marfin, Armenian violinist Hrachya Avanesyan and Belgian cellist Didier Poskin. However beautiful the Zavelkerk looks, not least thanks to those colourful stained glass windows, the acoustics for this type of orchestral music leave something to be desired. Was it because of that annoying echo that the balance in the orchestra so often went missing? In any case, in the triumphant first movement (Allegro) many a figure in the basses was lost under the weight of an overly obtrusive violin section. Moreover, there was also a lack of finesse and especially coordination, which meant that the whole sometimes hung together like loose sand. Among the soloists, too, there was a continuous search for the right balance. In the thoughtful Largo, the cello was overshadowed by the violin. It seemed as if both gentlemen were playing from a different page. And also in the lively finale (Rondo alla polacca), Avanesyan's brilliant playing stood in stark contrast to Poskin's more intimate approach. It was remarkable how much the cellist lacked the power to hold his own against the orchestra and fellow players. His Serafin is undoubtedly a magnificent instrument, but is probably more suited to less bombastic repertoire. The piano too was more than once swallowed up in the mass of sound. Especially when Marfin had to act as a witty game distributor between violin and cello, when both engage in dialogue so enthusiastically in the rondo, this fell flat.
This Beethoven triple therefore unfortunately did not really provide a memorable moment. But Midis-Minimes fortunately still has two months and some dozens of return matches ahead to do better. So make the most of it, and give your workdays this summer an adventurous musical tint.
- WHAT: Ludwig Van Beethoven (1770-1827) – Concerto in C for pianoforte, violin, cello and orchestra – "Triple Concerto" (opus 56)
- WHO: Cassandre Marfin [piano], Hrachya Avanesyan [violin] and Didier Poskin [cello] and the Ensemble Orchestral de Bruxelles conducted by Jacques Vanherenthals
- WHERE: Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-ter-Zavelkerk, Brussel
- WHEN: Friday 1 July 2022
- PHOTOS: © BE Culture
- ORGANIZATION: Festival Midis-Minimes – Since 2002 Midis-Minimes has been working together with 30CC in Leuven, where most concerts are also on the programme of the Zomer van Sint-Pieter festival.