De Gelderlander – Saturday March 10th
by Maarten-Jan Dongelmans

In the overcrowded, Arnhem-based Musis Sacrum, Mozart with Lucas Jussen as a pianist and Mahler with Martin Sieghart directing, attract a massive audience this Friday evening. The regular, mostly elder public of the Gelders Orkest (HGO) is supported by groups of youths, and that looks promising. Even the introduction is now done in the main hall, as a delegation of a secondary school also wishes to attend the concert. Young and old are very enthusiastic and manage to have Lucas Jussen (1993) play an encore (a Song without Words by Mendelssohn) even before the break. There definitively is an explanation for this storm of applause and Lucas’ choice. The eldest of the two piano playing brothers gives a technically outstanding interpretation of Mozart’s Piano Concerto no.20, KV466. His approach is decisive, clean and not very emotional (while this, however, is one of Mozarts’ most dramatic concertos). Making the grand piano sing an intimate Song without Words is a remarkable move. I see it as a silent goodbye of a much older person wishing to share wise lessons of life with his audience, instead of bringing groupies into ecstasy. I find this very special: so introverted with such a young soloist.
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