Word: kalamity
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WHAT everyone was waiting for was Tonu Kalam's appearance as soloist in the Beethoven, Mr. Kalam, winner of the H.R.O. Concerto Contest, gave an astonishingly mature performance which was first-class in all respects. His tightly sealed conception projected a powerful sense of unity. It also preserved the concerto's familiar yet still voktile interplay of traditional restraints and puckish invention. Unhampered by technical difficulties, Mr. Kalam was the master of every phrase. By choosing not to extend dynamics to the upper limits, he achieved the ideal of every performing artist--the illusion of complete control with power...
Everyone hopes that after this performance there will be a marked turn in the H.R.O.'s fortunes. But no matter what comes of it, Mr. Kalam, Mr. Corley, and company deserved sustained cheers and applause. It is disappointing that more people were not there to lend a hand...
...reviewer describes Tonu Kalam's playing of the Beethoven First Concerto as "superficial." In actuality, it was the performance I found myself listening most carefully to in order to pick out the subtle, sometimes eccentric, nuances and the intelligent ideas about the musical nature of the piece. Surely this sort of original music-making most deserves to be heard with...
...Tonu Kalam played the Beethoven First Concerto--in a manner that suggested he had better things to do. A difficult work to put across, the Beethoven relies on classical structure and logic rather than flashy passage-work and sweeping melodies. Delicacy and extreme sensitivity are a must, and Kalam revealed neither. Without exception, his phrases were rushed, brusque, and superficial...
...total surprise, Kalam was named winner. The rest of the audience must have equally amazed, for the announcement was greeted by a long, disbelieving hush. In my incredulity, I could only wonder how the judges managed to make such a clearly wrong choice. If they thought any of the works too difficult for the HRO, they should have prepared a list of approved pieces far in advance. If they are prejudiced against large Romantic concertos in general, then the validity of the whole competition is called into question. The judges would do well to consider the adverse effect their decision...