CONCERT REVIEW: CSO in Paris
On a Razor’s Edge
Gilles d'Heyres, ConcertoNet.com
Paris, Salle Pleyel
April 10, 2008
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Overture to "The Marriage of Figaro," K. 492,
Sergei Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 3, Op. 30,
Gilles d'Heyres, ConcertoNet.com
Paris, Salle Pleyel
April 10, 2008
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Overture to "The Marriage of Figaro," K. 492,
Sergei Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 3, Op. 30,
Dmitri Shostakovich: Symphony No. 10, Op. 93
Nikolai Lugansky (piano)
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Paavo Järvi (conductor)
After the orchestras of Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles, the Salle Pleyel continued its exciting American season by hosting the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Bringing together some of the best musicians in the world, this group from Ohio, founded in 1895 but whose first Parisian appearance did not take place until November 1994 at the Theatre du Chatelet, could only arouse the curiosity of a large public to attend what constituted the middle leg of a European tour of 12 concerts.
There can be no doubt, the loan of the orchestra, which has also been conducted by such prestigious leaders as Stokowski and Reiner, gave a demonstration: a generous program respecting the classical model “overture, concerto, symphony,” two encores following colossal work, the musicians being visibly in a sweat having given their best…Paavo Järvi, music director since 2001, admits the same, explaining the choice of program for the tour by the concern to “show what the orchestra is capable of.”
Presenting (itself) as the phalanx of the “most German city in the United States,” the orchestra nevertheless presented itself in essentially Russian repertoire. The Overture to “The Marriage of Figaro” was not just a warm-up exercise, (but) demonstrative to the hilt, emerging with brilliance from the homogenous strings.
Rather, what made the presentation (literally advertisement) showy in the Pleyel, from the beginning to the end of the first part of the concert (was) an autographed performance by a pianist adored by Parisians. One will take away Nikolai Lugansky’s phenomenally feline interpretation – without ostentation this time – of the dreaded Third Concerto of Rachmaninoff: the great precision, the soloist’s finger blows resembling surgical strokes on the piano which caught fire, in spite of an acoustic less flattering for the soloist, whose touch admittedly does not have the depth of a Horowitz. Lugansky, visibly touched by the enthusiastic reception from the public, offered an encore, the familiar Prelude in G Minor by Rachmaninoff (Op. 32, No. 12), in an interpretation crystalline in touch and fluid in dynamics --- explaining, perhaps, how it had vintage and like a specter, recalled a piece by Satie.
Beyond the technique of the orchestra and the excellence of the instrumental performance, the interpretive choices held as much or more attention, since Paavo Järvi, who is familiar in the capital, will take the reins of the Orchestre de Paris in two years.
In Rachmaninoff as in Shostakovich, one thus admired the clarity and impact of a leader with sober charisma, whom the American musicians stayed with to the end of the concert to generate acclaim by an attentive audience (…despite some ill-placed coughs).
Of the Tenth Symphony of Shostakovich, Paavo Järvi, from all the evidence, cultivates a radical concept, demanding and without concession, served by an exemplary orchestra. The climate of desolation in the first movement, which evokes inevitably the universe of Sibelius, caught one all the more by the throat in moments of calm, admirably rendered by the very well placed strings, contrasting well with the strident hallucinations and lacerating cries (of the brasses and winds). He conducted in a steady, hellish tempo followed to perfection by the instrumentalists playing “on a razor’s edge.”
The celebrated second movement – more presto than allegro – showed itself terrifying in metrical precision and masterful intensity. Likewise, the architecture of the Allegretto allowed one to admire the coherence of the ensemble as much as the personality of the musicians (the bite of the strings or the virtuosity of the brass). Taken to the limit of stillness, the glacial Andante which opens the final movement, produced a feeling of malaise and annihilation, heightening thereby the contrast with the final Allegro.
In summary, one left the Pleyel dazzled by a virtuosic and generous orchestra, that offered as encores not only Valse Triste by Sibelius, daring (and successful) in its striking contrasts of tempo and nuance, but the Sixth Hungarian Dance of Brahms with neither affectation nor embellishment.
Nikolai Lugansky (piano)
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Paavo Järvi (conductor)
After the orchestras of Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles, the Salle Pleyel continued its exciting American season by hosting the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Bringing together some of the best musicians in the world, this group from Ohio, founded in 1895 but whose first Parisian appearance did not take place until November 1994 at the Theatre du Chatelet, could only arouse the curiosity of a large public to attend what constituted the middle leg of a European tour of 12 concerts.
There can be no doubt, the loan of the orchestra, which has also been conducted by such prestigious leaders as Stokowski and Reiner, gave a demonstration: a generous program respecting the classical model “overture, concerto, symphony,” two encores following colossal work, the musicians being visibly in a sweat having given their best…Paavo Järvi, music director since 2001, admits the same, explaining the choice of program for the tour by the concern to “show what the orchestra is capable of.”
Presenting (itself) as the phalanx of the “most German city in the United States,” the orchestra nevertheless presented itself in essentially Russian repertoire. The Overture to “The Marriage of Figaro” was not just a warm-up exercise, (but) demonstrative to the hilt, emerging with brilliance from the homogenous strings.
Rather, what made the presentation (literally advertisement) showy in the Pleyel, from the beginning to the end of the first part of the concert (was) an autographed performance by a pianist adored by Parisians. One will take away Nikolai Lugansky’s phenomenally feline interpretation – without ostentation this time – of the dreaded Third Concerto of Rachmaninoff: the great precision, the soloist’s finger blows resembling surgical strokes on the piano which caught fire, in spite of an acoustic less flattering for the soloist, whose touch admittedly does not have the depth of a Horowitz. Lugansky, visibly touched by the enthusiastic reception from the public, offered an encore, the familiar Prelude in G Minor by Rachmaninoff (Op. 32, No. 12), in an interpretation crystalline in touch and fluid in dynamics --- explaining, perhaps, how it had vintage and like a specter, recalled a piece by Satie.
Beyond the technique of the orchestra and the excellence of the instrumental performance, the interpretive choices held as much or more attention, since Paavo Järvi, who is familiar in the capital, will take the reins of the Orchestre de Paris in two years.
In Rachmaninoff as in Shostakovich, one thus admired the clarity and impact of a leader with sober charisma, whom the American musicians stayed with to the end of the concert to generate acclaim by an attentive audience (…despite some ill-placed coughs).
Of the Tenth Symphony of Shostakovich, Paavo Järvi, from all the evidence, cultivates a radical concept, demanding and without concession, served by an exemplary orchestra. The climate of desolation in the first movement, which evokes inevitably the universe of Sibelius, caught one all the more by the throat in moments of calm, admirably rendered by the very well placed strings, contrasting well with the strident hallucinations and lacerating cries (of the brasses and winds). He conducted in a steady, hellish tempo followed to perfection by the instrumentalists playing “on a razor’s edge.”
The celebrated second movement – more presto than allegro – showed itself terrifying in metrical precision and masterful intensity. Likewise, the architecture of the Allegretto allowed one to admire the coherence of the ensemble as much as the personality of the musicians (the bite of the strings or the virtuosity of the brass). Taken to the limit of stillness, the glacial Andante which opens the final movement, produced a feeling of malaise and annihilation, heightening thereby the contrast with the final Allegro.
In summary, one left the Pleyel dazzled by a virtuosic and generous orchestra, that offered as encores not only Valse Triste by Sibelius, daring (and successful) in its striking contrasts of tempo and nuance, but the Sixth Hungarian Dance of Brahms with neither affectation nor embellishment.
April 10, 2008
Sur le fil du rasoir
Gilles d'Heyres, ConcertoNet.com
Paris, Salle Pleyel
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Ouverture des Noces de Figaro, K. 492
Serge Rachmaninov: Concerto pour piano nr 3, opus 30
Dimitri Chostakovitch: Symphonie nr 10, opus 93
Nikolai Lugansky (piano) Orchestre Symphonique de Cincinnati, Paavo Järvi (direction)
Apres les orchestres de Boston, Chicago et Los Angeles, la salle Pleyel poursuit son exaltante saison americaine en recevant l'Orchestre Symphonique de Cincinnati. Indiquant reunir quelques-uns des meilleurs musiciens au monde, cette formation de l'Ohio, fonde en 1895 mais dont la premiere apparition parisienne n'eut lieu qu'en novembre 1994 au theatre du Chatelet, ne pouvait que susciter la curiosite dun public venu tres nombreux assister a ce qui constitue l'etape centrale d'une tournee europeenne de douze concerts. Le doute n'est pas permis, la prestation de l'orchestre, qui fut dirige par des chefs aussi prestigieux que Stokowski ou Reiner, tient de la dmonstration: un programme genereux respectant le modele classique "ouverture concerto symphonie," deux bis suivant une oeuvre gigantesque, des musiciens en sueur ayant visiblement donn le meilleur d'eux-memes... Paavo Järvi, directeur musical depuis 2001, l'admet lui-meme, expliquant le choix du programme de cette tournee par le souci de "montrer ce dont l'orchestre est capable." Presente comme la phalange de la ville "la plus allemande des Etats-Unis," l'orchestre se produit neanmoins dans un repertoire essentiellement russe. Aussi l'ouverture des Noces de Figaro n'apparait-elle que comme un exercice de chauffe, a la limite du demonstratif, d'ou emergent avec brio des cordes tres homogenes. Plutot que l'annonce ostentatoire faite dans la salle, au debut puis a la fin de la premiere partie du concert, d'une seance de dedicace du pianiste adule des Parisiens, on retiendra de Nikolai Lugansky les moyens phenomnaux au service d'une interpretation feline -- sans ostentation cette fois -- du redoutable Troisieme Concerto de Rachmaninov: d'une grande precision, les coups de patte du soliste ressemblent a des frappes chirurgicales sur un clavier qui s'embrase, malgre une acoustique peu flatteuse pour le soliste, dont le toucher n'a certes pas l'epaisseur d'un Horowitz. Lugansky, visiblement touche par l'accueil enthousiaste du public, offre en bis le familier Prelude en sol dise mineur de Rachmaninov (opus 32 nr 12), dans une interpretation au toucher cristallin et a la dynamique fluide... expliquant peut-etre qu'une spectatrice ait cru y reconnaitre une piece de Satie. Au-dela de la performance technique de l'orchestre et de l'excellence du rendu instrumental, les choix interpretatifs retiennent d'autant plus l'attention que Paavo Järvi, deja familier de la capitale, prendra les renes de l'Orchestre de Paris dans deux ans. Dans Rachmaninov comme dans Chostakovitch, on admire ainsi la clarte et le tranchant de la direction d'un chef au charisme sobre, que les musiciens americains tiendront, a la fin du concert, a faire acclamer par un public attentif (... malgre quelques toux mal placees). De la Dixieme symphonie de Chostakovitch, Paavo Järvi a de toute evidence muri une conception radicale, exigeante et sans concession, servie par un orchestre exemplaire. Le climat de desolation du premier mouvement, qui evoque immanquablement l'univers sibelien, prend d'autant plus a la gorge que les moments d'accalmie, admirablement rendus par des cordes tres en place, contrastent bien avec les stridences hallucinees et les cris dechirants (cuivres et vents). Conduit dans un tempo d'enfer suivi a la perfection par des instrumentistes jouant "sur le fil du rasoir," le celebre deuxime mouvement -- plus presto qu'allegro -- se revele terrifiant de precision millimetree et de violence maitrisee. De meme, l'architecture de l'allegretto permet d'admirer la cohrence de l'ensemble comme la personnalite des pupitres (le mordant des cordes ou la virtuosite des cuivres). Pris a la limite de l'immobilite, l'andante glacial qui ouvre le dernier mouvement produit un sentiment de malaise et d'aneantissement, accentuant ainsi l'opposition avec un allegro final bien regle. Au total, on sort de Pleyel ebloui par un orchestre virtuose et genereux, qui offre en bis non seulement une Valse triste de Sibelius osant (et reussissant) des contrastes siderants dans les tempos et les nuances, mais encore une Sixieme Danse hongroise de Brahms sans mievrerie ni fioritures.
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