Maybe if she had two names....

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (ASO), under its Music Director Robert Spano, performed a concert of Romantic pieces written between 1826 and 1868.  This programming was a bit odd for Spano, who usually likes to include something a bit more contemporary.

The program began with Mendelssohn's  Overture to a "Midsummer Night's Dream,"  which was written in 1826, when the composer was in his mid-teens.  It is a sunny piece, replete with references to donkeys braying and the fairies' playing.  In spite of his enormous output, only a few of Mendelssohn' s works, such as the  Violin Concerto, a few of  the Symphonies, and the Octet for Strings, are frequently performed in American concert halls .   His overtures, including  "Midsummer Night's Dream" are thrice familiar concert hall favorites so it is difficult to breathe new life into them. Maestro Spano usually provides solid, if not always innovative,  interpretations and this was one of them.  The piece begins with rapid fingerings in the violins, which introduce Shakespeare's sorcery. At the outset, the ASO strings lacked cohesion, maybe due to warm-up issues.  When this theme reappears, the strings had regained their usual precision and it worked beautifully.  The trumpets and winds also gave polished performances . Save a few intonation problems in the horns, Spano and the entire ASO gave a very satisfying performance. 

Schuman's Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D minor featured Midori as violin soloist. This was the premiere Atlanta performance for this concerto that had to wait some 84 years after its composition to be heard in the concert hall.  This was in part due to Clara Schumann's judgment  that it was a flawed work that too often reflected her husband's declining mental health.  Midori, the uni-named violin soloist,  was a child prodigy who has grown into a Grammy-award winning  violinist.  She made her concert debut at age eleven, at the behest of Zubin Mehta.   According to the program notes, she is now "...recognized as an extraordinary performer, a devoted and gifted educator and an innovative community engagement activist."  Well with that kind of introduction, what could possibly go wrong?    Midori is diminutive and, unfortunately, so is her dynamic range.  There is no doubt of her technical capabilities, but she plays so softly that the orchestra struggles to play piano enough so that she can be heard.  This created other problems, e.g., when the Schumann piece transitions from the solo violin to the full orchestra, the ASO was so loud that it was startling.  Schumann was not a particularly skilled orchestrator and his music sometimes has thick textures where, without expert interpretation, the  inner voices can become lost. This potential for musical turbidity was exaggerated by Spano's approach that did little to bring clarity to the denseness of the music, which created a sonic smear throughout the work. There were also cringe-inducing  intonation problems in the violin and horn duet of the first movement.  Unfortunately these missteps  were highlighted even more as a result of program annotator Ken Meltzer's pre-concert discussion that featured excerpts of a recording that had a robust  solo performance as well as crystalline clarity in the orchestral parts.  The Atlanta audience, usually very enthusiastic  (some might say overly so), had a tepid response to this performance and only called Midori back twice.  The seemingly obligatory Atlanta standing ovation was hardly evident.  

  

The second half of the concert featured two excerpts from Wagner's "Parsifal"- the Prelude to Act 1 and the "Good Friday Spell."  These works, written in 1882, require full orchestral forces, and have some wonderful passages for the violins and the ASO string section sounded rich and golden.  It was obvious that Maestro Spano also felt more at home in this music.  His tempi were on target and his whole body was invested in the music.  These were fine performances with the ASO musicians responding with all of the skill that they can show when they are at their peak.  Every section of the orchestra delivered their parts with skill and musicality.

 

The final work was Wagner Prelude to Act I of "Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg" from 1868.  Maestro Spano's tempi were a bit fast, but this added an important forward thrust of the music.  Other performances heard in Atlanta's Symphony Hall of this work have not enjoyed such urgent tempi and have nearly collapsed under their own weight.   This performance demonstrated that, when motivated,  Spano can lead an exciting  performance that can invigorate even a very familiar concert warhorse. 

Symphony Hall was about sixty percent full. This might be due to the unusually cold Atlanta weather or maybe by the presence of music by Wagner.  Atlantan's are known for their dislike of Wagner as evidenced by their staying away in droves when the local opera company staged one of his works and by the number of patrons who left this performance as the music was playing.  

This concert had some hits and some misses.  But when the ASO is good, it is truly wonderful.   

Some Major Steps....

This week's Atlanta Symphony Orchestra(ASO) concert was notable for many reasons. The first is that it began with Elgar's "Nimrod" from "The Enigma Variation," which was fitting  a memorial to Douglas Sommer, a long-time member of the ASO bass section, who recently passed away.

For program notes on this concert, go here: https://www.atlantasymphony.org/ConcertsAndTickets/Calendar/2013-2014/Runnicles-Spano.aspx. this program is notable is that it showcases watershed pieces from the history of music.  It also featured Music Director Spano and Principal Guest Conductor Donald Runnicles.

The next piece was the Leibestod from Wagner's "Tristan and Isolde."  For AMC this piece is the embodiment of a musical representation of overwhelming passion that results in a final release, but according to the story line for the opera, that release occurs only in death.   The work is familiar today and doesn't sound particularly cutting edge to modern ears, but at its premiere it presented a chordal structure that broke the rules of music up to that time, and some said, led to atonality in music.  The "Tristan chord" is the stuff of legends.  To read more about it, go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tristan_chord.   This performance was conducted by Mr. Runnicles, who is always welcome for his grand interpretations.   Maestro Runnicles spends much of his time with the Berlin Opera so the Wagner suits him well.  That said, AMC felt the horns were a bit too loud at the beginning of the Liebestod.  AMC heard it from both the orchestra section of Symphony Hall and from the loge.  This balance problem was apparent in both.  Otherwise, the passion of the music shined brightly and sharply.  Here is a version of the Liebestod from YouTube (its gets the horn balance right) :

Next was a dual piano version of Ravel's "La Valse, " featuring the piano skills of Messrs Spano and Runnicles.  And much to AMC's delight, there was actual dialogue between Spano and Runnicles providing historical and musical context to the piece.  AMC has long felt, (and advocated on this site) that having musicians address the audience helps to break down a bit the barrier between classical artist and audience. Where else can someone spend two hour with their back to the audience and still receive a standing ovation except in the concert hall?   Runnicles, by the way, has a grand voice.

While "La Valse" is not a ground breaking piece of music it does show how music can represent the destruction of an old way of life and the emergence of a new leaner, meaner, and not-so-elegant new style, i.e., the waltz as a metaphor for a changing world.  The two piano- four hand version brings a hard edge to this music and makes it seem less luxurious than  the full orchestral version.  This performance was a knock out.  Here is a version of the tow piano "La Valse":


Following the piano version, Runnicles led the full orchestral version, where he applied rubato to underscore the point was the waltz had an elegant and grand past but faced a future where things might spin out of control.  AMC's only objection was that the orchestra sounded a bit earth-bound without the lightness that characterize other performances.  Here is "La Valse" conducted by Sir Simon Rattle (who AMC encountered while walking in Salzburg):

The final piece on the program was Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring."  This too was played first with piano four hands and followed by the full orchestral version.  AMC's introduction to the Rite" occurred at about age 11 or 12 from a demo LP version of Bernstein's interpretation with the New York Philharmonic.  Since then, there have been innumerable versions, ranging from a performance led by Massimo Freccia with an orchestra simply not up to the task (Santa Cecilia) to a very angular performance led by Antal Dorati with the Minneapolis orchestra.  Given the wealth of recorded performances that AMC has enjoyed, it is startling that Spano's interpretation was one of the best.  AMC is used to Spano providing very competent,  if not necessarily very surprising or insightful interpretations, but his "Rite" was full of rawness and primitiveness. The music calls for a large orchestra so the ASO was augmented with many contract players who did a wonderful job adding their talent to the orchestra.  AMC heard the performance twice.  Thursday night's opener was definitely more raw, especially in the opening where the wood winds had what seemed to be odd balances, but which ultimately gave an even more primitive sound to the music.  Saturday's performance had a few bassoon intonation issues that did not appear on Thursday.  But the ASO sounded better to AMC that it has before. Their were outstanding performances by all sections of the orchestra, but the percussion section, led by Tom Sherwood, was phenomenal.  The eleven bass notes in the second half of the work were imposing and Spano let Sherwood play front-and-center, where other conductors let the contrabasses have more prominence in this passage.  Spano's approach again underscored the primitive nature of the music.   Toward the end of the first half of the piece, the washboard player was also encouraged to "let it rip."  AMC has never before  felt the visceral impact that this simple instrument could have on the music.  Masetro Spano and the ASO gave a monumental performance, and the audience loved it.   Even in musically conservative Atlanta, this great work of art- albeit dissonant and raw- is appreciated!
Here is a version of the "Rite" played by the ASO under former Music director Yoel Levi
( it is much more polite than Spano's version):

AMC cogitated over the giant leap that Stravinsky's music was over what had ever been hear before.  It created a riot at its premiere, but with its creation,  music was freed from the conventions and rules of its past. One can only imagine what it must have been like in the first two decades of the Twentieth Century in Paris, where so much artistic greatness was created and fostered. One need only consider the likes of Stravinsky, Debussy, Ravel, Diaghilev, Nijinsky, Fokine, Picasso, Braque, the Ballet Russe, to get a sense of what transpired in that magical time in that magical city.

Thanks to all of the musicians, benefactors, patrons and volunteers that made this concert possible.

We're talking world class here....

AMC attended a concert at the Blossom Music Festival, the summer home of the Cleveland Orchestra.  It was a program of concert performances from Wagner's Valkyrie.  This is AMC's virgin experience with Cleveland and it left little doubt that this is one spectacular operation and organization.

The Blossom Festival begins on July 3 and stretches untty is well-maintained; the performing venue sits in a natural amphitheater shaped meadow outside of Cuyahoga Falls, OH.  The festival calendar stretches from July 3 to September 1. Unlike the Mann Center in Philadelphia, the Blossom program is mostly classical and will also include a performance of Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring" by the Joffrey Ballet.  And, in case you have forgotten, or didn't really want to remember, Cuyahoga Falls is home to the televangelist Ernest Angley.

The entire operation of the Blossom Center screams "professional"- from the well-maintained landscaping to the availability of eating facilities (including wine bar) to the availability of comfort facilities.  The Blossom music pavilion is dramatic and quite pleasant to sit in.  There are several beautiful gardens available that provide seating away from the crowds.  There is also a gift shop and an art gallery.

The program for the Festival is impressive.  There is a 70-page booklet about the Festival in general, and there was a 20-page program guide for the evening's performance. The program-specific guide had some of the most informative and well-written program notes that AMC has seen recently.

The All-Wagner program was wonderful.  AMC is never quite sure why there aren't more concert performances of Wagner but this one was entirely successful.  AMC was fortunate to have a seat close enough to the stage that the music did not have to be heard through a sound system.

The program opened with the Prelude and Love-Death from "Tristan and Isolde," with Christine Brewer as the soprano soloist.  This music is so passionate, sensual, yearning, and loving.  From the program notes: "Over his lifeless body, she (Isolde) gathers herself for the long scene that ends with the Leibestod ("Love_
Death"), the hymn in praise of a love so strong that it can only end in death."  (Click here for a version of this music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8enypX74hU0.  AMC has enjoyed Christine Brewer in a concert setting before ,but never has AMC appreciated the power and beauty of her voice until she  wrapped her vocal chords around this. AMC had a bad case of the chills, even in the 90-degree heat. AMC is something of a romantic so please enjoy the libretto from this magnificent piece:

The second piece featured bass-baritone Alan Held, who soloed in Wotan's Farewell and Magic Fire Music from "Die Walkure."  Held is as powerful and Brewer and he is mesmerizing to watch.  He inhabited the role and seemed to have transcended Cuyahoga Falls to the Rheinland.

The final selection again featured Brewer in selections from "Gotterdammerung."  This music is breathtaking (for any fans of the movie "Excalibur," this piece is used to great effect throughout).  If Ms. Brewer was excellent in the Leibestod, she was simply superhuman in this performance.  For an extended version of this piece click here to see a performance from the Bayreuth Festival (Wagner's own theater): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3SGtJNm-pI

The performance by the Cleveland Orchestra was astounding.  AMC never flinched from a bad horn note, intonation problems, or shaky ensemble.  This is the smooth playing that separates the truly great orchestras from the less lights.  Even in the problematic acoustical environment the violins were silky and golden.   AMC hasn't heard such consistently beautiful strings in many years.

As noted, Ms. Brewer and Mr. Held were wonderful.  Both seemed to be in their own worlds during their performances and we in the audience were fortunate to be invited in.

Conductor Franz Welser-Most has an impressive resume (click here for a very thorough article about Welser-Most: http://www.cleveland.com/arts/index.ssf/2008/09/cleveland_orchestras_welsermos.html).  Welser-Most as obviously in control of the orchestra, but it is so good that they probably could play blindfolded.  O.K.- that's a slight exaggeration.  But its in the right direction.  Welser-Most is a fairly undemonstrative conductor who is more likely to provide a beat rather than explicit direction.  AMC noticed W-M give dynamic instructions to the orchestral sections rarely.  He gave, however, very sympathetic support to the soloists, probably arising from his operatic background.

One final point.  It was really hot and humid, but W-M did not seem to break a sweat.  Nor did he break a smile- must be that Teutonic strength and reserve.

This was an unforgettable concert and AMC hopes to do the Blossom again in the near future.  

Illuminating Insight of his Musicianship....

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Guest conductor James Gaffigan, presented a program on February 23 of:

Haydn- Sinfonia from “The Desert Island”

Ades- Violin Concerto, Op. 23 “Concentric Paths”

Wagner- Prelude to Act I of “Lohengrin”

Debussy- La Mer, Three Symphonic Sketches.

Leila Josefowicz was the soloist in the Ades.

The not-very-often heard Haydn piece was a clever way to begin the concert.  It is an attention grabbing piece, particularly regarding the composers use of the bass line to heighten drama.  Maestro Gaffigan underscored the contra-basses with the bassoon placed directly in front of them.  I thought that was a nice touch to enhance the low growl.  I was curious to learn more about the opera for which this piece serves as an introduction.  There was not much in the ASO program guide, I part, because there is not a lot to say about it, judging from the availability of information on the internet.  I did find this synopsis on Wikipedia:

Act 1

Using the crudest of tools, Costanza is on the verge of completing an inscription on a rock next to her cave: "Abandoned by the traitor Gernando, Constanza finished her days on these strange shores. Friendly traveler, unless you be a tiger, either avenge or pity…" Her young sister Silvia enters, rejoicing that a lost pet deer has returned, and asks why Costanza is unhappy, being on such a pleasant island far from the world wicked men she has often described, but cannot cheer her. Silvia, alone, watches a ship arrive and runs to ask her sister what monster swims and flies at the same time. Her way is blocked by Gernando and his friend Enrico, and she hides, not being able to overhear their conversation. Both had been captives of pirates, Gernando seized on this very beach while his wife was recovering from seasickness. They split up to search the island, Enrico first singing of his unending gratitude to his friend for helping his escape. Silvia has managed to get a good look at him, too kind-looking to be a man, but not wearing a skirt either. She marvels as well at a new kind of fear that causes gladness: yet more questions for Constanza.

Act 2

Gernando discovers the inscription and believes Constanza dead. He declares his intention to end his days on the island to Enrico; the latter decides he must be carried off by force for his own good, and instructs two sailors to lay an ambush by a stream. He comes upon Silvia who, learning he is a man after all, pleads for her life, but he wins her trust and they part to fetch the other couple. Silvia remains long enough to sing an aria putting a name to her new emotion. When she leaves, Constanza arrives, singing of the slowness of time. When Gernando appears she faints and he hurries to fetch water from the stream. Enrico enters and explains all to her; Silvia arrives with Gernando, having explained everything to the sailors after they had seized him. Enrico proposes to Silvia and the work closes with a quartet-rondo with concertante writing for solo violin and cello.

Well, that seems a bit silly!  But the Sinfonia itself had a bit more edge to it that I normally associate with Haydn, so it was good to hear another side of this important composer.

The Ades Violin concerto was composed in 2005.  It is in three movements, with the second being longer than the other two combined.  This music has been described as a masterpiece of modern composition and deserving of great respect.  One person (Barnaby Thieme) who reviewed the premiere recording of the work says, “Concentric Paths is a revelation, the most spell-binding work I've heard to date by one of the great talents in music today.”  I wish I could be so enthusiastic.  Maestro Gaffigan and Ms. Josefowicz gave a brief introduction to the work from the stage.  They assured us that the music was easily accessible and did not require repeated hearings to appreciate its virtues.  It is a great move to attempt to set our expectations.  Mr. Gaffigan also noted that Ms. Josefowicz had committed this very difficult work to memory.  Maybe I must hear it again, and again, and again to appreciate it.  After all, it did take me nearly 50 years to appreciate Mahler!  I do like contemporary works, and have a few favorite contemporary composers, to wit, Glass, Adams, Part, Golijov, but their music has strong structure, and dare I say it, melody.  Even the minimalists provide melody, even if it’s rapid and repetitive.  I could not discern the structure of this violin concerto, and certainly not any melody- although I do not believe that melody is the sine qua non of good music.  It is simply one component and may be less important given other strengths in a composition.   I guess I didn’t hear the other strengths. But the ASO audience gave a standing ovation to the piece.  I must have missed something.  Oh, wait.  They give an SO to everything.  But Ms. Josefowicz does deserve recognition for memorizing the music. 

The last I heard her, she was playing the electric violin as soloist in Adam’s” Dharma at Big Sur.“  I will give her props for supporting new music.  She was playing with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and  I remember not liking the first movement because the sound of the violin was smothered in the sound of the PSO, but the second movement  got back to Adam’s minimalist roots and the hypnotic structure of the music  finally worked.

The Lohengrin was magnificent, especially for the strings.  Mr. Gaffigan kept everything under control and let the passion rise to the surface.  Just before the start of the work, a cell phone went off.  Mr. Gaffigan turned to face the audience, and rather than discipline, he said something to the effect that it was Wagner calling asking him not to play the music too fast.  The point was well taken.  But for all of its standing ovations, the ASO audience too frequently has cell phone mishaps. 

The Debussy is an orchestral stunner.  There are few composers who really know how to paint a musical picture as well as Debussy, even though that whole musical picture thing is a bit overworked.  But, it would be hard to believe that even the uninitiated in classical music would not hear this as a work about water, and indeed, a lot of water.  The last movement, titled “Dialogue of the Wind and the Sea” (a truly apt description) allows the full orchestra to show its mettle, which the ASO did quite admirably.  It was a rich and skilled performance. 

Mr. Gaffigan was recently appointed as Chief Conductor of the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra, and Principal Guest conductor of the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic.  He is a very talented and it is too bad that he couldn’t have taken a prestigious position in the US. I have a new found love for quoting bios of guest artists, so from the ASO program notes:  “American conductor James Gaffigan is praised for the precision and natural ease of his conducting and the illuminating insights of his musicianship. “  Wow, and I just said he was talented.  I must work on my adjectives.  

A talented Moser....

On February 16, 2012, the Atlanta Symphony orchestra, under the direction of Roberto Minczuk, presented a concert consisting of:

Wagner- Prelude to Act I of Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg

Elgar- Cello Concerto in E minor

Mozart- Symphony No. 35 in D major, K. 385 (“Haffner)

Strauss- Suite from Der Rosenkavalier, Op. 59

The solo cellist in the Elgar was Johannes Moser.

Maestro Minczuk’s biography says that he is a Grammy and Emmy Award-winning conductor who is music director of the Calgary Philharmonic and principal conductor of the Brazilian Symphony in Rio de Janeiro.   Like the bios of most of his contemporaries, Minczuk’s says he is “…firmly established as one of his generation’s brightest talents.”  Who writes this stuff? 

The Wagner piece was a rousing way to begin the concert.  It is not too long and it provides a good taste of the master’s great orchestrations.  This can be treacherous music because of its thick orchestration.  Minczuk conducted without a score and it seemed that from time to time he let the brass overshadow the strings to a degree that the music became a blur.  The ASO strings could not be heard even where they are a very important part of the music. 

After the Wagner, there was a brief video that featured cellist Johannes Moser.  This was a very touching and emotional presentation.  It began with Moser narrating how a casket bearing the body of a soldier was removed from his airplane as it arrived in Atlanta.  It appeared as though Moser captured it on camera from inside the aircraft.  He noted the solemn ceremony that accompanied this most sorrowful of events.  Moser drew a parallel to the sadness that Elgar felt after the “War to end all wars” during the time he wrote the cello concerto.  Moser’s was a powerful presentation and a great lead in to the profound emotion and sadness in Elgar’s music. 

Elgar’s piece is beautiful, allowing the cello to express his dismay about conditions after World War I.  It is in four movements, with the first two played and last two played without interruption. This is very sad and introspective music that does not suffer from the lack of editing that I feel was apparent after hearing the ASO’srecent performance of Elgar’s First symphony.   Minczuk conducted from the score and   Moser’s playing was nothing short of incredible.  He has a large tone that never deteriorates into edginess.  He can be aggressive when needed, and subtle where required.  His strong playing is a reminder why he is a highly regarded soloist and others should best remain in the cello section of a great orchestra.  Moser and Minczuk seemed to be in agreement about the music and there seemed only to be seamlessness between the cello solos and the orchestral passages.  Per Atlanta tradition, there was a standing ovation with many curtain calls for Moser and Minczuk.  In this instance, the SO was appropriate and well deserved.  Moser returned the love by playing one portion of Bach’s Suites for Unaccompanied Cello.  The music was elegant and requires absolute control over the bow.  Moser played grand fortes and hushed pianissimos and his use of the bow was stunning.  Particularly notable were the very piano staccatos written by Bach.  Moser’s performance was faultless.  By the way, here is Moser’s Wikipedia entry: “Johannes Moser (born 1979) is a German-Canadian cellist who has performed with many of the world's leading orchestras.”  Now that’s modesty.

After the intermission, the Mozart symphony was performed.  This of-heard performed piece was ably led by Minzcuk, without benefit of a score, and played impeccably by the ASO.  The strings were particularly golden in the elegant second movement Andante and in the fourth movement Presto. 

The Richard Strauss Suite is a blockbuster, featuring a large orchestra with enhanced percussion.   Its waltz sections are very familiar and seemed to resonate greatly for the ASO audience.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with schmaltz from time to time.  Minzcuk again conducted without a score and the ASO’s playing was first rate.  The twenty-five minute long piece lasted for what seemed just a few minutes.  It was a great performance. 

There were several things of note in this program and performance.  I have already noted the grand playing of the ASO.  I have also noted Minczuk’s conducting three quarters of the pieces without benefit of the score.  As a result, page turning and attending to the written page did not have to come between him and the music making.  Minzcuk does not provide a strong beat with this right hand and he does not seem to use his left to control the orchestra’s playing, yet all of these pieces were interpreted and played wonderfully.  In fact, Minzcuk’s style of conducting looks like he is mimicking the music rather than leading it.  Nevertheless he was impressive.  It is also interesting that the ASO can respond very well to guest conductors.  Their tremendous playing under the leadership of Van Zweden and Remmereit were examples of this.  Certainly chemistry has something to do with it, as well as the talent of both the lead and the leader. 

Finally, I note that the principal players of the symphony are frequently absent in the chamber-sized orchestra setting, and sometimes in concerti. It seems to happen more often at the ASO’s performances that with other orchestras.  I have no idea what that means!