Tiu, Toledo: Magnetic duo/A reviewer's dilemma

Josefina “Chino” Toledo is multi-awarded conductor-composer of considerable talent and worth. His compositions have been performed by the New Juilliard Ensemble, guitarist Kasuhito Yamashita, the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra and other international ensembles, as also in European, North and South American and Asian music festivals. Further, his works have been cited by several books published in England, Berlin/Munich, Tokyo and by the CCP Encyclopedia.

He is at the helm of the Metro Manila Community Orchestra, and is director of the UP Festival Orchestra, the Crosswave Symphony Orchestra project, and has guest conducted local orchestras including the PPO.

His composition Kantus: Tagabawa, which opened Miriam College’s MMCO concert at the CCP main theater last week, was earlier played by the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra and was given “a long ovation”. The program notes explain that “the work was inspired by a song among the Bagobo-Tagabawan of southern Philippines — an old form of vocal expression punctuated by shouts from the listeners. (Or the orchestra members themselves.) Several qualities of the song were used throughout the piece — the melodic contour of the song as the basis for the entire shape and structure; its lyricism and punctuative character.”

Percussions predominantly accompanied the very ethnic, indigenous song. The impressively innovative, original and avant-garde composition will be even more appreciated after a second and third hearing.

Kodaly’s Dances of Galanta, a series of bracing, vigorous Hungarian dances, bore strong traces of the Gypsy. While carrying folk melodies, the composition had a rhythm which was unvaryingly robust and vibrant, with Toledo’s focused direction reflecting this.

Jose Pablo Moncayo’s Huapango conveyed even greater vitality. Although Moncayo is Mexican, his work is thoroughly Spanish in its roots and character. The rousing, intense nature of the dances tantalized the listener, with Toledo holding the reins firmly while stressing the spirited beat through the overpowering and recurring climaxes.

The international engagements and awards of concert pianist Albert Tiu have not been as loudly heralded or proclaimed as those of his peers. But they are veritable triumphs demonstrated by his performances.

His latest, the rendition of Rachmaninoff's monumental Concerto No. 3 in D Minor, was a mind-boggling display of virtuosity achieved with the minimum of effort and the maximum of magnificent results. The Concerto, conceived by Rachmaninoff for his own prodigious talent, was approached and executed by Tiu with utmost confidence and assurance, while lording it over a fiendish cadenza. The over-all performance was an exhibition of vitalizing power, magnetism and consummate mastery as Tiu interwove the fiery, restless passages with delicate lyricism.

Toledo was meticulously attentive and perceptively aware of the exigencies of the various movements — the strings entering pianissimo after the first movement, the woodwinds playing an obviously Slavic melody with firmness and clarity in the second, followed similarly by the clarinet and bassoons against a background of cohesive strings.

In the final movement, with pianist and ensemble joining forces, and with Tiu’s fingers flying, the overwhelming, thunderous climax brought to mind the hurricane Katrina. Applause was deafening.

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The proliferation of October concerts creates a dilemma for the reviewer. Yesterday, Oct. 17, three concerts were held: “Beloved Encore” which, as the invitation indicated, featured “top opera singers from New York and our very own Martin Nievera and Louie Ocampo” at the Shangri-La ballroom; “Masterclass” featuring Cherie Gil in the role of Maria Callas at the RCBC auditorium; “An Enchanted Evening” featuring Cocoy Laurel and his sister Iwi at the Teatrino Promenade.

Cocoy’s invitation had come weeks earlier than the other two. Consequently, his concert deserved prior attention.

As for Ballet Philippines’ performances at the CCP main theater, I was informed of my invitation to last Thursday’s performance (Oct. 16) via telephone on the day itself. Two previous engagements prevented me from attending what must have been a marvelous presentation.

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Erlinda E. Panlilio’s oil seascapes with haikus by Ed Maranan are currently on display at the InterCon lobby.