Music / Passion & Poetry, James Monro & Edward Neeman. At Wesley Music Centre, June 16. Reviewed by ROB KENNEDY.

Dance and lyricism through the passion of Piazzolla to the tender melodies of Schumann, this concert was a grand musical journey.

Third-year student and brilliant young cellist at the ANU studying physics and music, James Monro, is about to expand his studies at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich, the same school where Einstein studied mathematics and natural sciences. 

Combined with a pianist of international standing, Edward Neeman, the pair gave a performance that will be long remembered.

Beginning with Astor Piazzolla’s Oblivion, which is like its name, it’s full of deeply moving scenarios and the most heartfelt tune. Only four minutes long, the weeping cello and subtle piano, made for a moving opening.

Imbued with elements of Hungarian folk songs, the Cello Sonata, Op. 8 (movement 1), by Zoltán Kodály, requires a special tuning. Munro’s cello was already sounding full and strong, and this passionate piece, which was played from memory, allows the full range of the cello to be heard in all its glorious colours. And Monro is just the player to bring out all those colours.

Exuding confidence and authority, his playing is already at a depth that exceeds his age as a third-year student. One gets the feeling he is loving his instrument too, and it shows.

The Robert Schumann Cello Concerto in A minor, in three movements, doesn’t hang around. It gets straight into the meat of its composition at the very beginning. Through the shortest of introductions, it quickly moves into its musical statement. It’s an expressive piece with enough fiery action for it to be known as one of the top cello concertos. 

I’m a fan of Schumann’s music because it is forthright stuff. Filled with exceptional writing that commands attention, it sits between classical and new, and when he wants to, Schumann can pour on the emotion.

Neeman’s sensitive playing brought out the best of the music and Monro responded with great feeling in the slow movement. Both players made the music sing with passion.

Watching Monro perform and interacting with the audience, he is becoming quite the showman, which will only increase his appeal. The rapid, fiery final movement showed both players at their expressive best.

The rhythmic intensity of Gaspar Cassadó’s Dance of the Green Devil is a heart stopper. It bursts into life through a short, intense falling and rising intro before the agitated complexity of many fast, highly attacked notes on the cello rush into the ears. In between that, there are moments, just a second or two of lyrical, flowing song. What a beautifully balanced mixture it is. Monro and Neeman gave it their all.

Le Grand Tango for Cello and Piano by Piazzolla will bring any concert to a compelling close. You need to brace yourself for this tango. Over its 12 minutes, the passion oozes and slides from every note. This is heart-racing music, full of fire and it rarely lets up. But when it does, it melts. It is music and playing like this that keeps filling concert spaces. Bravo to both and bye for now, Mr Monro.