What was the last concert you went in 2015?
Posted by: kuma on 11 January 2015
My first concert for 2015 started with youthful pairing of Paul Lewis/Vasily Petrenko at the Orchestra Hall last night.
- Elgar In the South (Alassio)
- Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 5 (Emperor)
- Rachmaninov Symphonic Dances
Petrenko opened with Elgar's 'In the South' Overture and I was pleasantly surprised how lively and energetically it was played. Even the CSO musicians seemed more upbeat and animated than usual. I throughly enjoyed Petrenko's refreshing take on this tune.
Lewis has been a *regular* at the CSO for a few years. His Emperor Concerto is heroic, bold and confident as I expected him to be. The only draw back I felt was the orchestra was a bit soft and not as rhythmic feeling they were trailing a tad behind Lewis. A bit of a surprise really after such a lively Elgar piece.
Lewis did not offer his own cadenza in the Emperor but he played Schubert's Allegretto in C Minor as an encore. The trouble was he was still on the Beethoven mode. ( I love his Beethoven but not totally sold on his Schubert work )
Symphonic Dances was exciting Petrenko keeping the CSO on their toes. Perhaps it did not have the menacing weight of Berliner/Rattle set but the CSO Brass rose to the occasion adding an extra brilliance.
And it was cool that noone coughed after the final gong and kept the silence for a pretty good duration.
Bruckner Symphony 8: Bychkov/CSO
This was the last of Bychkov concert of the season with the CSO.
Last time when this score was played at the Orhchestra Hall was in 2009 with Haitink as a conductor.
Whilst it was not tight leashed like Mravinsky set, It was well paced, well organised and well played.
He seems to give musicians more space to breath. CSO brass section was the star of the orchestra today giving the score burnished yet brilliant shine. Once again, musicians seem to give more than usual and clearly they were having a ball with all smiles.
The entire score was played without an intermission but never a dull moment with plenty of tension in silent moments.
Alisa Weilerstein cello / Inon Barnatan piano
BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 5 in D Major, Opus 102, no. 2
SCHUBERT Fantasia in D Major, D. 934 (Trans. Weilerstein/Barnatan)
HALLMAN DreamLog
RACHMANINOFF Sonata in G minor, Opus 19
The Schubert Fantasia, played on cello, was quite amazing (not to take away anything from the entire program!).
Cédric Tiberghien's CSO debut:
- Ravel Gaspard de la nuit
- Debussy A selection of preludes and etudes
- Szymanowski Masks
- Debussy Masques
- Debussy D'un cahier d'esquisses
- Debussy L'isle joyeuse
I was worried after the lack lustre first half of program, Tiberghien made up more than enough with strong back end starting off with Szymanowski's Masques. It had a rocky start due to cell phone ringing *twice*! but he sailed through the rest with colourful performance.
What most enjoyable to me was the two more Debussy Preludes he played as an encore: my favourite La cathédrale engloutie and Fireworks. Perhaps he was more at ease at the end of recital but these tunes showed he can play with plenty of freedom and dynamics.
Just got home from seeing this guy for the fourth time - and it is never anything less than outstanding:
Neighborhood Theater in Charlotte.
Alexandre Tharaud debut at the Orchestra Hall.
- Couperin Seven Pieces
- Rameau Movements from Suite in A
- Satie Avant-dernières Pensées
- Satie Gnossiennes Nos. 1, 3, and 4
- Ravel Miroirs
The first half of the program (Couperin/Rameau) was pleasant but the seemed muted and a bit overdamped. Perhaps his intention was to make a piano sound like a Clavichord? I miss the brilliant transparent tone I have heard from Ruckers harpsichord. I thought I would never say this but this was an instance that I actually preferred a sound of particular Harpsichord over a modern Steinway.
Also I can hear this slightly heavy handed trills and ornamentations which I find less fluid than generally fussy sounding Baroque music. I would have liked a bit more transparency and lucidity. I have heard this same odd vague notes in his CD.
Rameau’s Suite in A Minor finally opened up at the last Gavotte variations. Whilst Tharad’s interpretation is not strictly Baroque-like but I found his improves dynamic and less fussy and he seems to be at ease and less premeditated than his studio CD recording.
Things even got more cooking in 2nd half.
He successfully recreated the feel of turn of the century art mecca Paris in Satie pieces. In addition to applying a sepia filter like tone and leisurely pacing kept the tunes tight and captivating.
Then the Ravel pieces open a whole another colours splashed over the canvas. Much clearer and precise than any of the previous tunes and now has a brighter shinier palette.
Alboada del Gracioso was executed with high precision and huge dynamics as well as spot on timing albeit a bit fussy but I thought it might have been just about right for meticulous Ravel.
Incidentally Tharaud is tiny. I was expecting someone lanky. But turned out he’s a small framed chap very much like Ravel himself. He created a plenty of drama for the score but never in a flashy way remaining lyrical and keep it real.
As I gathered from listening to his CD and this live recital, a lot of thinking goes into his performance. Sometimes perhaps too intellectual but his touch and control are solid creating desired colours and effect like varying tones of bells in ‘’La Vallée des Cloches’.
And he’s a pianist with a peculiar style. He uses a single finger to strike a note to get the right clarity. Almost like plucking a key oppose to hitting.
It was sort of neat to get to see how he makes his music in front of my eyes.
I don't think his style of playing translates naturally to Germanic pieces, but would have loved to hear his Beethoven Sonatas if he's so willing.