Author: graham
Date: 2006-04-24 11:55
I am not usually given to giving public praise to players but I felt that the concert I attended over the weekend, featuring Frost in the new Aho Concerto should be commented on. I had already heard Frost on a CD of contemporary music and had found that performance to be exceptional so I thought I had to hear him live.
He came to London's Barbican Hall, a less than sympathetic acoustic, and so totally lived up to the favourable CD impression that I can only speak of him as one of the greatest players I am ever likely to have the opportunity to witness. The pure and delicate tone, always coherent at any dynamics, and with exceptional range from ppppp to ff (no more, he is not especially powerful), was used in service of a superb musicality which made great sense of this totally new work. It was very passionate, yet obviously scrupulously thought through. The technical demands were very great but delivered almost perfectly. The stamina required must have been considerable but he maintained the energy levels throughout.
The concerto was very good (if you like modern music) and deserves to be played regularly. However, it was written for Frost and clearly incorporates some unusual techniques of his that other players may not have or choose to master. So it may remain a Frost-only work. Included in the effects were multiphonics, some of which sounded like they used the voice, and tremolos of every variety. He also seems able to produce a muted trumpet tone which was quite fun.
If Martin Frost is visiting your town, then I really do encourage you to go along and see/hear him. I cannot recommend it too much.
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