Symphony Hall was about half full for this concert. It's unclear the reason, but maybe it's because
another Mozart piece was included, when two were played on last week's
program. Recently, there was an
interesting article when uber-maestro Bernard Haitink complained of the concert-going
public's current love affair with Mahler, which he derisively calls the
"Mahler Cult." (see http://www.artsjournal.com/slippeddisc/2012/11/bernard-haitink-lashes-out-again-at-the-mahler-cult.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+artsjournal%2FbQrW+%28Slipped+disc%29).
I think that there is a similar cult in Atlanta that believes anything
Mozartian must be great. I appreciate
that those who program concerts try to give the audiences what they want, but
maybe they are miscalculating as witnessed by the poor attendance over the past
two weekends. But then again, maybe
something else is going on that is better at attracting public attention.
I missed the "towards Osiris" piece. The overly familiar "Turkish" violin
concerto featured soloist Karen Gomyo.
She is described in the program notes through a quote from the Chicago
Tribune: "A first-rate artist of
real musical command, vitality, brilliance and intensity." I hope that is not a full quote since it is a
phrase and has no ellipses. Anyway, Ms.
Gomyo started the concerto in the most tentative manner- I was concerned that
maybe she was falling ill or something.
She played her Stradavarius with ample volume and appropriate dynamics,
after the weak start. Her instrument was
curiously steely sounding, which I am sure was magnified by Symphony Hall's steely
acoustic. Ms. Gomyo also had some bowing
problems, especially with her bow touching a string adjacent to the one she was
actually playing on.
Maestro Pintscher is both a conductor and a composer. He was recently appointed to be the next
music director of the Ensemble Intercontemporain, a Paris-based chamber
orchestra that was founded by Pierre Boulez.
It performs mostly modern classical music. Pintscher's interpretation of Ravel's "Rhapsody Espagnole" was very
satisfying. He attended to dynamics and
the ASO responded effectively. Ravel's orchestration is so lavish and rich that
is showed off the strengths of the orchestra.
The winds and strings were golden.
The violin duet by David Coucheron and William Pu were wonderful, and demonstrated
that all violins do not sound steely in Symphony Hall. This music is so colorful and dynamic that it
wakened some of the snoozers in the audience.
The Stravinsky likewise is full of colorful and occasional
bombast. It also highlights the
orchestra's skills. There was great
playing by the woodwinds and brass.
There are always a few intonation problems in the ASO's French horns,
and this performance was no exception.
The strings continue to sound silky smooth. Pintscher and the orchestra did have some
rhythm problems in the "Infernal Dance." The performance came perilously close to
spinning out of control- where tight ensemble was required the various sections
of the orchestra seemed not to hear each other.
The same was true in the "Final Hymn" where the violins are
supposed to play in unison with the brass.
They didn't.
It was great hearing the Ravel and Stravinsky pieces. While each being over one-hundred years old,
they are still considered "modern" by some. I am happy that someone made the bold
programming choice to put them on the schedule.
Thanks to all of the benefactors, patrons, and volunteers
that made this performance possible.
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