ONE of the characteristics making successful concerts is to present new works with high artistic value for the audiences, provided the performance quality is as good. This was the case in the recent concert of Cairo Symphony Orchestra in the Main Hall of Cairo Opera House under the baton of the Swiss conductor Andreas Spörri. The programme opened with Beethoven's highly expressive overture "Coriolan", followed by Khachaturian's concerto for flute and orchestra in D minor with the soloist Inas Abdel Dayem. The tenth symphony of Shostakovich was the centrepiece of the second part of the programme. Both Beethoven's and Shostakovich's works form part of the repertory of Cairo Symphony Orchestra, although they are rarely presented. Khachaturian's concerto was the gem of the concert. This work is in fact a re-arrangement of the famous Khachaturian's violin concerto by the notable flutist Jean-Pierre Rampal in 1968. This transcription was encouraged by the composer who did not write an original flute concerto at the request of Rampal for several years. Rampal kept as close as possible to the original score, but wrote a cadenza for the first movement. Khachaturian wrote his violin concerto for the violin legend David Oistrakh, which was premiered in 1940. Khachaturian was awarded Lenin's prize on this work in 1941. The great Armenian composer was one of the prominent music figures in the former Soviet Union and had many students, among whom are the two Egyptian composers Aziz El Shawwan and Gamal Salama. He also visited Egypt in 1961 and conducted Cairo Symphony Orchestra at that time. Besides, he travelled with the orchestra to Lebanon and there presented his famous works such as "Gayane" and "Spartacus". The latter was performed recently in Cairo. Inas Abdel Dayem's interpretation of Khachaturian's concerto was the first in Egypt. It was also her first time to play this concerto, which is indeed a great enrichment for her repertoire. It is hoped that in the future she will work on deepening her mastering of this concerto and digesting all its details. Nevertheless, her playing was stunning and skilful. This flute concerto represents Abdel Dayem's return to the classical music fans who missed her in the past months, after a long time she spent in performing light music and repeated works. This probably explains the great number of audience who attended the concert. Khachaturian's work includes several technical difficulties for the soloist on the one hand, and digestible melodies for the Oriental ears on the other. The Egyptian flutist managed perfectly in interpreting the Armenian spirit that breathes in this beautiful work of Khachaturian. The concerto consists as usual of three movements. The first started with an orchestral introduction followed by Abdel Dayem's presenting the first theme of the sonata form. Then she played the second lyrical theme, and shortly after a beautiful and technically difficult cadenza. The second movement opened with a clarinet and bassoon introduction was followed by the entrance of the flutist with main melody. In this movement it was clear that Abdel Dayem was ready to delve into the world of Khachaturian with its expressiveness and dramatic features. The movement finale has a romantic atmosphere which the composer created by having the flute sustain few notes accompanied by horn and muted upper strings. This is supported by descending pizzicato played by the harp, lower strings, together with the bassoon and the flute. Spörri's interpretation here was good and it becomes clear that this part received a great deal of rehearsing. In the third movement, Abdel Dayem revealed her virtuosic abilities and her mastering of the flute playing techniques. After the brief fanfare introduction by the orchestra, the flute enters with the main theme, which is derived from the second melody of the first movement. This movement contains a number of Armenian folkloric melodies, which were performed superbly by the flutist and the orchestra alike. The concert was not only an entertaining and enriching for the audience, but also for both the orchestra and the celebrated Egyptian flutist. It offered a balanced and well-chosen programme together with a beautiful and able performance by the soloist and the orchestra. ([email protected])
