ROMANTIC BOHEMIANS
Review of May 2026 Concert by Rogan Falla
Romantic Bohemians was a very fitting title for St Matthew’s Chamber Orchestra’s May concert. Concert Master Esther Oh and conductor Michael Joel made a first-rate team in charge of a confident and well-rehearsed orchestra.
Helen Pohl, the first violinist in the New Zealand String Quartet for thirty years, and now the violinist in the new chamber music piano trio, Korimako, was the soloist in the Brahms Violin Concerto in D major, Opus 77. Helene is a very popular soloist, this being the fourth time she has been a concerto soloist with the orchestra.
Written with some assistance from his friend, Hungarian violinist Joseph Joachim, it is one of the four greatest violin concertos – with Beethoven, Bruch, and Mendelssohn. The concerto opens with a lengthy introduction, presenting the beautifully measured thematic material, before the soloist bursts into the scene. Helene Pohl’s assertive bowing and immaculate phrasing, sweetness of tone and sensitive rubato made the first movement very special, with soloist and orchestra sharing equal honours. The cadenza was written by Pohl herself – emulating many of the greatest violinists over the years.
The second movement opened with an oboe solo, played most beautifully by Eugenie Middleton, introducing the main theme. It is reputed that Joachim was not amused that Brahms had not given the solo violinist this beauty. However, the soloist does get to repeat the oboe’s tour de force, and Helene Pohl’s sensitivity of playing and blending with the orchestra made for a splendid performance.
The finale, a joyous movement with Hungarian dance rhythms in honour of Joachim’s heritage was superbly woven by all sections with the soloist and the performance received a rapturous ovation.
After interval, the orchestra performed Dvorak’s Symphony No 6 Opus 60. Written and premiered in Prague within two or three years of the Brahms’ Violin Concerto’ debut, Dvorak’s symphony was full of German-Hungarian folk melodies, lyrical and joyful. Musical tastes of the time favoured the Germanic style and as a young composer, Dvorak was sensitive to this. Some of his music had not been well received or played in Vienna – in fact this symphony was not played in Vienna by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra until 1942.
The orchestra seemed to revel in the folk rhythms, with hints of Brahms’ and Beethoven’s symphonies peeping through. A special nod to the horns in the second movement. The playing of the strings was polished, precise and stylish throughout the concert. Woodwinds played contrasting solos, and timpani and flute shared honours in the second movement and in the finale the brass led the mood of joyful grandeur. Michael Joel was in top form and all sections of the orchestra responded with enthusiasm and discipline. The challenging music was received warmly by the sizeable audience and the concert ended with a feeling of real exultation. All round a brilliant concert which sent the audience off with happy smiles.