Oxford Philomusica at Cadogan Hall

Musical Opinion, Jan/Feb 2007 by Matthew-Walker, Robert

The Oxford Philomusica under their Founder and Music Director Marios Papadopoulos appeared in an all-Beethoven programme at Cadogan Hall on 14 October. Despite a smart Programme given free to patrons it was thought necessary to have Classic FM s Natalie Wheen introduce both halves of the concert from the stage. A pre-concert talk, often encountered these days, would have been preferable. Sad to say her lengthy remarks were often unnecessary and sometimes historically inaccurate.

Papadopoulus conducted Beethoven's C major Piano Concerto from the keyboard but the result was little more than a routine account, marred by the inclusion of the third Cadenza Beedioven wrote for the first movement. This Cadenza, five or six minutes long, was written some years after the rest of the work, for a 7-octave piano as opposed to the 5-octave instrument for which the Concerto was originally composed. This Cadenza is therefore out of character with the rest of the work. The best part in this performance was the finale, taken at just the right tempo.

In the second half Marios Papadopoulos directed the Eroica Symphony, yet I cannot use the phrase "conducting technique" in describing his podium manner, although fortunately for Beethoven and his Symphony the musicians, very ably led by John Georgiadis, paid it little attention, with the result that they were able to give a quite creditable performance. I was disappointed by the omission of the first movement repeat and the use of three horns, or four if the bumper is included, in the Funeral March, where Beethoven only asked for two.

ROBERT MATTHEW-WALKER