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Japanese Drum Master

Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra

Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall

Reviewed: March 31

This was a most rewarding programme  from the Hong Kong Philharmonic, with two modern Japanese works in the second half, including a concerto vehicle for Eitetsu Hayashi, master of the traditional Japanese taiko drums.

But first, the orchestra gave  a colourful interpretation of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade, under the baton  of David Atherton.

He  adopted a new, expansive approach and gave his players breathing space. Highlights included the lyrical bassoon  and oboe solos in the second movement and the dramatic tension in the last movement's 'shipwreck' section. Guest concertmaster David Nolan's shaky pitch and  lack of flair  in the solo violin passages left something to be desired.

The second half began with Takemitsu's A Flock Descends into the Pentagonal Garden. Atherton conveyed clear texture and surefooted delineation of musical paragraphs and sustained a mysterious aura  with billows of sound.

The dream-like piece  contrasted sharply with Hayashi's high-adrenaline performance of Isao Matsushita's  Hi-Ten-Yu (Fly-Heaven-Play). It's a skilfully constructed work,  and allowed Hayashi ample opportunity for bravura playing. He conjured  a rich, multi-layered sound  with just two sticks, drumming with sustained strength on  a huge taiko and a group of smaller drums.

The taiko  reverberated  throughout the  concert hall, but Hayashi  controlled to perfection his rapid beats, gradual dynamic shifts and timbre shadings.

The effect was like tap dancing with drumsticks, only  far more monumental. The orchestra often took a secondary role, and  towards the end played like a gigantic extension of the taiko.  The piece ended with  the entire ensemble - taiko and orchestra -  crashing down like a mighty tsunami.

Hayashi  reciprocated the audience's  enthusiastic applause with a solo encore  of equally astounding prowess.



Japanese Drum Master