Every summer, and that since 1986, the Brussels Festival Midis-Minimes traverses music history, from the Middle Ages to today. This year, the journey of discovery exceptionally started in the Zavelkerk, with the so-called "Triple Concerto", a unique oddity from the oeuvre of Ludwig Van Beethoven with which he let the worlds of chamber and orchestral music merge together.
No vocal repertoire then at this festive opening concert, and yet the thirty-sixth edition of Midis-Minimes is under the sign of song, with as apotheosis on 31 August the tribute by the Choeur de Chambre de Namur to the birthday boy César Franck (1822-1890). But before that arrives, the festival also puts the piano and the string quartet in the spotlight, specifically during the week of 18 July and 22 August. Over the coming two months there is thus something for everyone each afternoon, according to the tried and tested recipe: short concerts of just over half an hour, with a handful of works on the programme, and that for a pittance (6 euros). It is up to you to discover it and share it with others, for example by means of an even more sharply priced admission pass of five or ten concerts. Because "la musique n'a de sens qu'en concert vivant, moment de partage!"
Speaking is Bernard Mouton in the most recent issue of Larsen (May-June 2022, p. 4), the musical news magazine of the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles. Mouton has been artistic director of Festival Midis-Minimes for twenty-two years, and for a few years also of L'Été Mosan. Whereas the latter festival settles at different locations, Midis-Minimes has been linked to the concert hall of the Brussels conservatoire for as long as anyone can remember. Except that this year it turns out to be slightly different. In preparation for the restoration that will finally start in 2024, the conservatoire is inaccessible for the entire month of July. The organ is being dismantled. That is why the festival during the first half takes refuge across the Regentschapsstraat, in the magnificent Onze-Lieve-Vrouw ter Zege at the Zavelkerk, after which it returns to the familiar location from early August.
"Grand concerto concertant"
This was not by chance written in French on the title page of the work for pianoforte, violin, cello and orchestra that was first published by Beethoven in 1807. It was indeed in France that the genre of the sinfonia concertante – a concert with two or more soloists – experienced its heyday since the middle of the 18th century. The composer dedicated his opus 56 to Prince Lobkowitz, as thanks to the man who had made it possible in the spring of 1804 for the so-called "Triple Concerto" to be performed twice, in private circles and together with the Eroica symphony. The combination of a piano trio with orchestra was an experimental rarity at the time, and would remain so well into the 20th century. And although Beethoven himself sat at the keyboard at the premiere, it is especially the two other instruments that lead the dance. Particularly the cello has a remarkably demanding part and gets, after an orchestral introduction, the first word in each of the three movements. Beethoven never came closer to a cello concerto than this.
For the performance this afternoon the Ensemble Orchestral de Bruxelles under the direction of Jacques Vanherenthals was accompanied by the young Brussels pianist Cassandre Marfin, the Armenian violinist Hrachya Avanesyan and the Belgian cellist Didier Poskin. However beautiful the Zavelkerk may look, not least thanks to those colourful stained glass windows, the sound for this kind of orchestral music leaves something to be desired. Was it because of that annoying echo that the balance in the orchestra so often went missing? In any case, in the triumphant first movement (Allegro) much figurework in the basses was lost under the weight of an overly obtrusive violin section. There was furthermore also a lack of finesse and especially coordination, which meant the whole thing sometimes hung together like loose sand. Among the soloists too there was a continuous search for the right balance. In the thoughtful Largo the cello was overshadowed by the violin. It seemed as if both gentlemen were playing from different sheets. And also in the lively finale (Rondo alla polacca) Avanesyan's brilliant playing contrasted sharply with Poskin's more intimate approach. It was striking how much the cellist lacked the power to hold his own against orchestra and fellow players. His Serafin is undoubtedly a splendid instrument, but likely excels more in less bombastic repertoire. And the piano too more than once got swallowed up in the mass of sound. Especially at the moment when Marfin had to act as a clever dealer between violin and cello, when both enter into dialogue with each other so enthusiastically in the rondo, this soured the deal.
This Beethoven triple thus unfortunately did not provide a really memorable moment. But Midis-Minimes fortunately has two months and several dozen rematches ahead to do better. So make the most of it, and give your working days this summer an adventurous musical flavour.
- WHAT: Ludwig Van Beethoven (1770-1827) – Concerto in C for pianoforte, violin, cello and orchestra – "Triple Concerto" (opus 56)
- WHO: Cassandre Marfin [piano], Hrachya Avanesyan [violin] and Didier Poskin [cello] and the Ensemble Orchestral de Bruxelles conducted by Jacques Vanherenthals
- WHERE: Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-ter-Zavelkerk, Brussels
- WHEN: Friday 1 July 2022
- PHOTOS: © BE Culture
- ORGANISATION: Festival Midis-Minimes – Since 2002, Midis-Minimes collaborates with 30CC in Leuven, where most concerts are also on the programme of the Zomer van Sint-Pieter festival.