Mood:
a-okTopic: music
It was back to the symphony tonight. Ondine joined me for my first visit since Opening Night in September.
Tonight's Boston Symphony Orchestra performance of Schumann, Rachmaninoff, and Stravinsky appeared sold out, or at least seriously packed. Which, considering that audience-favorite Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos was conducting, shouldn't have been a surprise, but this is a holiday weekend. Maybe the email about discounted tickets that went out earlier this week filled all of the potentially empty seats.
The program began with Schumann's Symphony No. 3 in E-flat, Opus 97, Rhenish. From the opening downbeat, it was apparent that Fruhbeck de Burgos, or "FdB," as the orchestra members call him, was in total command of the evening. His style is so engaging and captivating, that it is tough to take one's eyes off of him. We're not talking the kind of leaping around or grandstanding, attention-gathering motions that some conductors employ, rather it's directness in his motion. He leads the audience, and performers, to where the next important change is going to occur, be that an entrance by an instrument, the softening of a section, a dramatic volume change, or just that one note needed from a player.
I've probably said this in previous blogs about the BSO and FdB, but he elicits more impact with the little finger on his left hand, than others get with their full bodies. Now, I don't mean this as a slam on current BSO Music Director, James Levine, or maybe I do, but the difference between FdB and Levine can be measured miles, not inches. First of all, FdB is mobile. Yes, I understand that Levine's health requires him to sit on a chair on stage, but if you're a conductor, you're there to conduct and be a presence, not a lump, on the stage. There are plenty of other world-class conductors who have health issues, yet they still make it to the podium and stand for their performance. FdB moves when he conducts, he conducts with his whole body, stepping toward the section of the orchestra that will be receiving his attention; stepping back and opening up his arms when the fullness of sound is required. Levine can't do that, and the music and the audience suffers.
Secondly, Fdb conducted this without a score, something that many conductors do. It provides the conductor more freedom to engage with the orchestra, and doesn't leave the conductor's eyes glued to the page. That said, I'm sure that Levine conducts sans score, but I've never seen him do it. And, that's something I look for. I'm sure he could, he knows his music, but he rarely raises his head to interact with the orchestra.
Now, there's no question that Levine knows his music and is terribly passionate and caring about what he does - he's every bit a modern musical savant as there is, from all reports, including his own statements. But, I've got to say that perhaps he's better suited to the Opera, where he's in the pit leading the musicians and singers, and not on display to lead the audience as well. He's certainly tried to bring Opera to the BSO in his three years here, somewhat to the detriment of the season's schedule, and somewhat to the finances of Tanglewood this past summer.
But, I digress. Back to FdB and the performance at hand. The opening of the Schumann, the Lebhaft, or lively, movement was gorgeous and majestic. At the conclusion, it was difficult not to stand and applaud - and we're only 1/5th of the way into the Symphony. The Scherzo had swelling moments within it, rising and falling in volume and mood. (Aside: As this was my first concert in these seats since May, I'd forgotten some of the subtleties of the sonics for these seats. While very clear, the music did seem a tad soft, and left me wondering if I shouldn't up my ticket payments for next season to move closer.) The ending of the Scherzo was handled superbly by FdB, as he closed out the movement with just the just the right hush to the strings. It was a perfect transition to the quiet opening of the third movement, the Nicht schnell (not fast). Again at the end of this movement, FdB brought the orchestra to a truly quiet ending with one hand, and then perfectly in beat brought in the opening note of the fourth movement with the other. It's difficult to describe, but watching and hearing it was an eye, and ear, opening moment.
The fourth movement, Feierlich (solemn), definitely reminds one of something one would hear in church, and considering Shumann's background and the rampant Catholicism of the day, that's not a surprise. It's got that church beat, and is captivating in its lushness. The richness of the orchestration weaves a beautiful tapestry of sound, conveying the somber, solemn mood. From there, not jarringly, the Lefhaft (lively) pace returns in a majestic conclusion to this lovely Symphony. Rhenish, as in after the Rhine River area, is a fine title for the emotions and sensations that it invokes.
While the entire orchestra was superb, the horns in particular deserve to be noted here. Clear and resonating, they carried the outdoor mood of the piece.
After an uneventful intermission, i.e., no champagne, no unexpected encounters, it was back to our seats for the rest of the program. Oh, one note to pass along, courtesy of Miss O, who is the diva of manners and etiquette: if you're sitting on the end of the row, and you're coughing for more than two minutes, please step out until you're done coughing. You don't have to step over anyone. You step out. Grab a drink of water, and hope back in. No muss, no fuss. Mr. Sid and his doormen and women are very good at letting folks on the ends back in.
Now then, back to the show. And quite a show it was. The little played Piano Concerto No. 4 in G minor, Opus 40, by Sergei Rachmaninoff, was the featured number this evening. Yefim Bronfman was the soloist for this unusual piano concerto. Rachmaninoff rewrote sections of it over a number of years, constantly tinkering with it. It is a thought-provoking, emotion-evoking composition. It jumps from being of the Romantic vein, to discord, to almost jazzy at times. It's a tumultuous work that may best be described by a series of adjectives: unsettling, provocative, puzzling. There are points that totally draw in the listener, and others that seemed designed to close the door on the audience. This wasn't due to the performance, by any means, it was strictly world-class, and that may be what brought all of the work's complexities to the fore - it was so well played. While more eyes were on the soloist, it was worth watching the conductor and how he interacted with both the orchestra and Bronfman. FdB used a score for this piece, and I don't blame him. I doubt if the composer could have done it without one.
The audience clearly loved the performance, showering three standing ovations upon Bronfman and FdB. But, it was certainly a draining piece, as well. Interesting that it was positioned post-intermission, and not directly before.
And, here's a bit of a surprise, before continuing on with the review of the concert, you can find videos on YouTube of Bronfman playing Rachmaninoff; although, not No. 4. There are also over 400 results if you search YouTube for Rachmaninoff. Who knew it was a haven for classical music?!?!
For the third and final portion of the evening's program, we were treated with a composition from another Russian: The Firebird(1919 version), by Igor Stravinsky. As Ondine said, these Russians don't fool around when writing music. This was the slightly trimmed down score for the Firebird ballet as performed by the Ballets Russes some nine years after its debut.
FdB again led without a score. At the opening, he was positioned on the right front corner of the podium, bent forward, as if waiting for the music to reach out to him. With the slightest of movement of the baton in his right hand, he summoned forth the bass for the opening bars, and then quietly brought in the violins with his left hand, all the while still leaning forward, listening to the bass. It was enough to give one shivers.
The music, as one would expect of such a famous ballet, was lush, intoxicating, seductive, sweeping, exhilarating, vibrant, and thoroughly entertaining. (Thanks, Ondine, for those first five adjectives.) And, in case you'd forgotten about my earlier self-question as to needing to change seats for better volume, that was undoubtedly answered in the transition from the Lullaby movement to the Finale - the burst of sound from the orchestra to start the Finale was so loud that many around me jumped. It was quite the effect. My seat location is just fine, it was the desired effect to have the earlier music softer.
The Finale went swirling through, with that driving intensity that conjured up images of dancers on the stage. (I must see this ballet sometime.) The audience leaped to its feet at the conclusion, clearly loving what Fruhbeck de Burgos had created with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Ondine, who's in a position to know, said that this was the best performance that she's heard from the orchestra in years. I'd have to say that it was definitely among the top few that I've heard, as well. I'm most certainly looking forward to next week's program of all-Spanish composers, again conducted by FdB. And, followed by a CD signing. Should be quite the evening.
Starving as we both were - our pancake and egg brunch having long worn off - we strolled across Huntington Avenue after the concert and hit one of our fave spots, Betty's Wok and Noodle Diner, for dinner and a li'l '70's disco music...sing it O. While the service was a smidge slow on the draw for water, the food was fantastic. Just what we needed. We started with the chopped salad with yummy sesame-ginger dressing, and followed that with our entrees. O had noodles with chicken, vegetables and Madras-Curry sauce, and I had broth with brown rice, chicken, and a ton o' veggies. (I always pick my own, whereas O went for the chef-selected ones. No mushrooms my way :) O felt the need for some of my hoisin sauce after the tangy sesame-ginger dressing on the salad, but otherwise, no complaints on the dinner. Tres filling, hot and tasty.
Until next week, that's your classical music and dinner review.
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If you'd like to read what the professional critics had to say, you can read the reviews in the Boston Globe and in the Boston Herald.
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