Review of Mr. Pohl's Bach Concert

We arrived 15 minutes late, but we were surprised they hadn't even started! Bad news arrived with the death of the conductor's father-in-law and that he will be late for the event. The ensemble then decided to start sans le maestro for the first programmed piece which was the Brandenburg Concerto No.3. The ensemble played with beautiful phrasing, but they had no voicing at all; this made the concerto dull and monotonous. I liked the continuo played on the spinet though, which provided the only hint of color. I wonder if the absence of the conductor had anything to do with this. The third movement also came slow and tiring.

Then Mr. Pohl appeared on stage with the Maestro, who decided not to miss the concert - and together with the ensemble, they launched into Bach's fifth piano concerto, BWV 1056. I was instantaneously amazed at how Mr. Pohl produced the most beautiful tone from the instrument, a stiff unyielding Kawai that has a bad reputation of being one of the most rigid instruments one can play on.

The first movement lacked some decisiveness in the bass and there were some slight asynchrony between soloist and ensemble in some parts. The second movement however was marvelous, obviously benefiting from Mr. Pohl's beautiful tone, albeit he was somewhat economical with trills. I feel certain for sure that the darn instrument hindered Mr. Pohl and restricted him from taking freedom with his trills.

After the intermission, the ensemble played the famous "Air" from the Orchestral Suite No.3, this time with the conductor, who was the prime factor of the beautiful voicing which made the account successful.

The concert then ended with a beautiful account of Bach's first piano concerto BWV 1052. Mr. Pohl here was notably more decisive, and more successful, than the fifth. The third movement was particularly exhilarating with Mr. Pohl (and the ensemble) saving all the pyrotechnics to the last!