<<  -- 6 --  Howard Smith    PIVOTAL OCCASION

Did I hear this audience humming during the demure Intermezzo from Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana ? Perhaps it was my imagination. Whatever the case Aaron Copland's stirring Fanfare for the Common Man revealed a brass section with few equals, even in London and Elgar's Enigma Variations -- for much of its length an almost dreamlike performance -- found the RPO unmistakably on familiar territory. Having said that there were some expressions of bemusement at bursts of sporadic applause after many of the variations. Almatyians are clearly unfamiliar with Elgar; however later in the week I heard the Kazakh State Philharmonic Orchestra perform Castelnuovo-Tedesco's Second Violin Concerto with local soloist Aida Aupova ... a work seldom performed in Western concert halls.

At intermission and the concert conclusion, smartly-attired children and women rushed to the stage front with brilliant bouquets, rich red roses ; a variety of floral arrangements -- mountains of blooms were heaped into Bisengaliev's arms.

There was no doubting the audience reluctance to leave. Beyond all question this had been a pivotal occasion in Kazakhstan musical life -- a resounding success for Alan Buribayev and the RPO; and for Marat Bisengaliev -- a personal triumph.