Review: Rousing 'Beethoven and Brahms' concert held back by duel personality

The 70 young singers drawn from choirs across the city and trained especially for a performance as the SingFest Festival Chorus faced the challenge of making their mark in two unknown, short works.

What impressed most in Brahms' was the quality and unanimity of their enunciation, a choral aspect that is crucial to producing a homogeneous texture, matched here by the Hong Kong Sinfonietta's equally fine blend under conductor Yip Wing-sie.

Chorus masters Patrick Chiu and Felix Shuen had drilled the ranks well - the only chip in the armour being a number of quiet soprano lines that were not floated perfectly.

This was not an issue in Beethoven's quirky . Following the work's extended introduction, played by American pianist Ben Kim, and a set of variations for all and sundry, the singers brought the piece to a storming close. Kim's modulated sound, clarity of line and interplay with the orchestra helped to hit the mark.

Beethoven's fared less well. If the lengthy opening movement worked, it was for two reasons: the articulation of the principal themes was neither too detached nor too unctuous (extremes that antagonise the listener); and Kim's understatement of his part somehow held the attention.