Review | Violist turns violin soloist for The Four Seasons by Vivaldi and Piazzolla’s Four Seasons of Buenos Aires in Hong Kong concert
- Andrew Ling, principal violist of the Hong Kong Philharmonic, played the violin like a virtuoso in Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons and Piazzolla work inspired by it
- For most of the concert one would not have known the violin was not his instrument, and the orchestra acquitted themselves well in general
Just how interchangeable are the skills of a viola player and a violinist? In a concert with the Pan Asia Symphony Orchestra, Hong Kong violist Andrew Ling Hin-yau showed he is adept at both by performing as soloist in two works for violin.
Like most viola players, Ling started out on the more popular violin as a child. He received violin coaching from the late Lin Yaoji, former music professor at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing and one of China’s greatest violin teachers, at the Hong Kong music school founded by Yip Wai-hong (who also set up three children’s music ensembles and the Pan Asia Symphony Orchestra).
This is probably why, to the delight of the audience, the principal violist of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra played the violin like a virtuoso.
The programme comprised two Four Seasons, by Vivaldi and Piazzolla – not the most challenging works in the repertoire, but they still demand a lot from the soloist.
In the first concerto of the ever popular Vivaldi work, “Spring”, the level of playing, led by Ling, was high. He produced good intonation and a bright timbre in the high register. His firm and energetic bowing in the fast passages fully conveyed the boldness and wit that characterises Vivaldi’s music.
However, in the tranquil second movement, Ling’s ornamentation clashed with the bass notes on the harpsichord played by Shane Levesque and with the playing of the orchestra’s principal violist, Johnny Ng.
Ling’s intonation slipped on occasion in “Summer” and “Autumn”. The fingerboard of a violin being shorter, this was to be expected for someone who practises daily on the larger viola.
In the famous last movement of “Summer”, both soloist and orchestra expressed well the explosive power of nature, albeit the string section showed a slight lack of unity.
The last movement of “Autumn” was marvellously done, with the march-like steps between the different sections especially well played.
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In “Winter”, Ling was right to play simply and let the music sing without over-embellishment. But the pizzicato from the strings was too soft in the second movement and Ling sacrificed precision in the feverish last movement.
On the whole, the performance was of a high standard, with principal cellist Daniel Leong, harpsichordist Levesque, and the violin principals standing out. Violinist Felix Tham’s reading of Vivaldi’s poems about the four seasons gave the audience a chance to better understand the composer’s creative mind.
Ling displayed great flair in the second half as the soloist in Piazzolla’s The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires arranged for solo violin and chamber orchestra. He shifted moods nimbly and confidently and played with plenty of sensuality. His technique compared well with that of top violinists.
However, the string players didn’t seem alert to Ling’s swift changes in tone.
For an encore Ling and friends – violinists Kitty Cheung Man-yui, Felix Tham Fong-chung and Jonathan Yuen Siu-him, and harpsichordist Michael Mak Chu-kay – and the orchestra played the two fast movements from Vivaldi’s Concerto for Four Violins.
Their clean and lively playing blended harmoniously while showing off the different musical personalities of the group, and brought a joyful end to an afternoon full of surprises.
“Andrew Ling – The Four Seasons by Vivaldi & Piazzolla”, Pan Asia Symphony Orchestra, Tsuen Wan Town Hall Concert Hall. Reviewed: March 12.
