• Abrahamsen Nacht und Trompeten
• Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 3 (Stephen Hough, soloist)
• Prokofiev Symphony No. 5

�En slik dirigent m� TSO f�

�This is the kind of conductor the TSO should have�

�They gave it all: Stephen Hough and Mark Stringer in Beethoven�s Piano Concerto No. 3. But it was not only in Beethoven they impressed. For also in Prokofiev, Mark Stringer was ambitious both on his own and the orchestra�s behalf in the Olavshallen yesterday evening. And the result was marvelous.

��The concert started with the Danish composer Hans Abrahamsen�s Nacht und Trompeten. �Mark Stringer was not only on the same level, but could also make the orchestra persuade us that they knew this piece 100%.

�And the knowledge was not less in Beethoven�s Piano Concerto No. 3. For Mark Stringer was not satisfied only to give the orchestra an accompanying role. On the contrary, he conducted with a choreographic gestures which would have been close to pathetic if it had not been for the good result�but it was not pathetic because the effect was overwhelming.

�Out on the tip of their chairs

�The gestures placed the musicians out on the tips of their chairs and inspired to Stephen Hough to give a Beethoven such as we have never before experienced.

��Long lines were also the key word to Prokofiev�a symphony which in many ways is a couple of sizes too big for this orchestra. But this was not the case yesterday. Mark Stringer forced the orchestra to concentrate immensely on the goal, with the result that this monolith of a symphony was carried forward on straightened arms.

�Mark Stringer is a conductor our orchestra needs right now. He showed that the orchestra can meet the big musical challenges and realize artistic ambitions far beyond playing in tune and nicely on festival occasions.�

� Adresseavisen, 27 September 1996