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Horn Virtuosos Amaze in Eclectic Concert
26 Jan
Summary
- Hornist Ben Goldscheider and pianist Richard Uttley delivered a masterful recital.
- The concert featured a diverse repertoire spanning Mahler to contemporary composers.
- Performances included new works by Simon Holt and Oliver Leith.
At the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff, horn player Ben Goldscheider and pianist Richard Uttley captivated audiences with a deeply satisfying lunchtime recital. The program astutely blended old and new works, demonstrating the duo's infinite musical sensibilities and matched virtuosity. They opened with Schumann's Three Fantasiestücke, Op 73, a piece that suited the horn remarkably well.
New compositions by Simon Holt and Oliver Leith were featured, including Holt's "The Bell," written for the duo in 2022, and Leith's "Eeyore," which humorously realized donkey-like braying. The recital also included Scriabin's passionate Romance and Esa-Pekka Salonen's dynamic Horn Music 1, highlighting the horn's expressive potential.
The heart of the performance was Mahler's "Urlicht," a piece with a sly reference to Mahler's own song cycle. Goldscheider's rendition conveyed profound emotion and a lambent glow, fulfilling the anonymous poet's craving for "Primordial Light."
