Nigel Kennedy, classical music review: Fiddles at dawn in fiery opener

This opening concert of the London Festival of Bulgarian Culture carried the pugnacious title Balkan Blaze. The first half focused on the London Bulgarian Choir, dressed in traditional Bulgarian costumes, although most of its members are British. Still, they have adapted to the particular demands of Bulgarian vocal music, best represented by the choir’s founder and leader, Dessislava Stefanova. Her voice has a vibrant, slightly quavering quality, a little like yodelling but with a timbre that pierces the heart. The Philharmonia Orchestra’s accompaniment, while not terribly Balkan, was effective enough.

After the interval, we got Nigel Kennedy, 60 this year and still playing the motormouth delinquent. His wide-ranging musical tastes have not previously shown any affinity for Bulgarian music but he had the company, not only of his jazz-rock ensemble Kennedy Quintet, but also of Bulgarian fiddler Georgi Andreev, whose gudoulka displayed a throaty resonance that made a nice foil to Kennedy’s richer sound. Or it would have done if heavy amplification hadn’t ironed out the contrast.

Kennedy and Andreev larked around at duelling fiddles, and there was some superb playing. The Philharmonia added orchestral padding, but Balkan Blaze would have generated greater heat if Kennedy and Andreev had been the only players on stage.

London Festival of Bulgarian Culture continues until November 30 (lfbc.eu)

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