Friday, November 20, 2009
A Colorful Voyage to Exotic Places
by William Guy BarastTonight's concert by the DSO made me think a little bit of one of those shows on the Travel Channel that give you several snapshots of life in exotic locales.
Four works were on the program: Berlioz' Le Corsaire Overture, Debussy's La Mer, Ginastera's Four Dances from Estancia and the Piano Concerto No. 1 by the DSO's Erb Jazz Creative Director Chair Michel Camilo. On the podium was Andrew Grams (a replacement on very short notice for Leonard Slatkin). The composer was at the piano.
The evening started with a bang. Berlioz' madcap overture Le Corsaire (The Pirate) was given an excellent reading by Maestro Grams and the DSO, one that didn't press the pedal too hard to the metal (which Berlioz does well enough by himself). For my money, listening to this manic orchestral adventure is far more energizing than a cup of coffee any day. Berlioz wrote it while on his second visit to Nice, and while it underwent several changes of title, it isn't actually an overture to anything in particular--just a dazzling, sparkling, totally vertiginous display of complete orchestral virtuosity.
Next came Debussy's La Mer. French for 'The Sea', Debussy's triptych is positively cinematic at times in its amazing ability to evoke a maritime atmosphere. Grams and the DSO gave a wonderfully nuanced, finely textured performance of this audience favorite. Especially effective was the wonderful sense of total calm that preceeded the big moment at the end of the first section. Of course, the piece was written that way, but there was no hurrying to get to that glorious, technicolor moment, which made it all the more effective when it finally arrived. Another favorite moment, admirably presented, came at the end of the third section, where the high pitch held by the violins before the flutes' entrance evokes the sea in its sunny, hazy majesty.
Ginastera's four Dances from Estancia paint four vivid pictures of life on the Argentinian plain. All were marvellously effective (especially the lovely 'Wheat Dance,' the second of the set), but none more so than the closing Malambo. Grams took a brisk tempo and the DSO's playing couldn't have been tighter. In short, it rocked the house.
Camilo's Piano Concerto provided a highly effective showcase for his dazzling pianistic gifts. Incorporating 20th-century elements, jazz and Afro-Caribbean rhythms, this piece is a tour-de-force for piano and orchestra. The two outer movements, muscular and more aggressive, flank a gorgeous slow movement that is simply magical, evoking at times a slow, smoky, jazzy flavor. Camilo's performance of this work is a show-stopper and must be seen--and heard--to be believed.
If you're already feeling the winter blahs (or even if you're not!) this concert is for you. There's one more chance to catch it, Saturday night in Orchestra Hall at 8:30. Not to be missed!
Labels: Reviews, William Guy Barast
posted by Detroit Symphony Orchestra at
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Thursday, November 12, 2009
A Fun-Filled Blast from the Past
by William Guy BarastThe second concert in the DTE Energy Foundation's DSO Pops Series, Disco Days and Boogie Nights, opened this morning to a large and very enthusiastic crowd. I wasn't quite sure at first how I felt about an entire concert of music from the'70s; however, after less than five minutes I'll admit that I was hooked!
Conductor Jack Everly led the DSO, the male a cappella vocal group Chapter Six and singers Anne Beck, Farah Alvin and N'Kenge in a high-energy traversal of the decade that not only left no stone unturned, but also left this listener with an ear-to-ear grin for the better part of two hours.
Everything just clicked today: the arrangements were all top-notch, the DSO mixed their usual precision playing with just a touch of '70s grit and the incredibly talented vocalists had plenty of energy (and pipes!) to spare. A real show-stopping moment came in the second half of the concert, when Chapter Six presented their own arrangement of Freddie Mercury’s '70s classic Bohemian Rhapsody—entirely a cappella!
So dust off your platform shoes, put on your polyester leisure suit and get down to Orchestra Hall this weekend—I promise you won't regret it! Show times (and yes, this is a 'show'!) are Thursday at 8:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8:30 p.m. and Sunday afternoon at 3:00. Enjoy!
Labels: Reviews, William Guy Barast
posted by Detroit Symphony Orchestra at
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Thursday, October 29, 2009
Darkness and Light
by William Guy BarastThis evening's concert by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra featured a program tailor-made for a Halloween weekend: Samuel Barber's warm, romantic violin concerto was bookended by two darker, more introspective works; Latvian composer Peteris Vasks' Musica Dolorosa for string orchestra and Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6, "Pathetique." The DSO was led by guest conductor Andrey Boreyko.
Composed in 1983, Musica Dolorosa employs an expanded harmonic palette, created in part through the use of a device known as "controlled indeterminacy:" improvisatory sequences that are manipulated at the conductors' discretion. The DSO strings (performing in a modified seating arrangement that added clarity to Vasks' complex, sometimes dense textures) gave a brilliant, impassioned performance of this haunting work.
The DSO's celebration of the centenary of Samuel Barber's birth continued with a first-rate performance of his violin concerto. Soloist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg delivered an energetic, impassioned interpretation of this much-loved work. Ms. Salerno-Sonnenberg's singing tone embraced the entire dynamic spectrum from a bare whisper to a full-throated operatic voice. In the first movement she played with an edgy, forward-moving energy; her reading of the second movement was tender and lyrical, and the closing moto perpetuo was delivered at a breathtaking clip.
Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6 also known as "Pathetique" filled out the evening. This work, Tchaikovsky's last, was given a rock-solid performance by the DSO in a masterful interpretation by a conductor who has this music in his blood. The low brass and winds sounded particularly fine tonight and the warm, honeyed tone of the DSO strings provided a perfect compliment.
You have two more chances to catch this terrific program: Friday night at 8:00 and Saturday night at 8:30. Don’t miss out.
Labels: Reviews, William Guy Barast
posted by Detroit Symphony Orchestra at
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Friday, October 23, 2009
Something for everyone
by William Guy BarastThis morning's concert by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra proved to be the perfect tonic for a dreary, rain-soaked Friday.
The program was guaranteed to please, offering the perfect blend of the familiar and the less-well-known. On the menu: Barber's Essay No. 1 for Orchestra, Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 3 and Dvorak's bucolic Symphony No. 8. DSO Conducting Assistant Charles Greenwell was on the podium.
Barber's Essay No. 1 for Orchestra set the tone for the first half of the program. Dramatic yet understated, this compact, ruminative work has a uniquely taut, brooding, "American" feel. The DSO knows Barber's Three Essays well, having recorded them under Neeme Järvi for Chandos in the mid-1990's. That familiarity was apparent today, with Maestro Greenwell leading the DSO in a performance that captured the dramatic spirit of the work while allowing Barber's ravishingly beautiful orchestration to shine.
Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 was given an heroic performance by Russian pianist Kirill Gerstein, whose big, bold tone and penchant for breakneck tempi made for an exhilarating experience. This finger-busting work is one of the titans of the piano concerto repertoire, typically clocking in at around 45 minutes. Mr. Gerstein's performance must surely have come in a bit under that mark but left absolutely nothing wanting along the way. Soloist, conductor and orchestra worked as one, bringing the audience to their feet after the final crashing chords (which (deliberately?) mirror the syllables of the composer’s last name: Rach-man-in-off!).
Dvorak's Symphony No. 8 filled the second half of the program with the lilting sounds of the Bohemian countryside. Maestro Greenwell led the DSO in a performance that was both spacious and sensitive. Especially enjoyable were the interplay between the dark-hued clarinets and the flute in the second movement and the slightly slower, more pensive return of the lovely waltz theme in the third movement. The fourth movement brought a rousing finish with the brass having loads of fun.
Since the audience seemed to thoroughly enjoy themselves, Maestro Greenwell asked if they'd like an encore. Their sounds of approval brought forth a polished performance of Dvorak's Slavonic Dance Op. 46, No. 6. It may have been raining outside, but after this encore there was plenty of Bohemian sunshine inside Orchestra Hall!
Speaking of our dear Orchestra Hall, she turned 90 yesterday. Kirill Gerstein turned 30 today, and it was he who gave us a gift. What a day. Two more performances follow this weekend, Saturday evening at 8:30 and Sunday at 3:00. Don't miss out!
Labels: Reviews, William Guy Barast
posted by Detroit Symphony Orchestra at
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Friday, October 16, 2009
Over the Top!
by William Guy BarastTonight's concert by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra with Principal Guest Conductor Peter Oundjian was an absolute tour-de-force and a treat for fans of big, romantic-era orchestral music.
The program featured Beethoven's Fidelio Overture, Wagner's Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde and Gustav Mahler's massive Symphony No. 7.
The Fidelio overture got the evening off to a rousing start. Maestro Oundjian led a performance that was taut and muscular, yet sensitive and refined.
Wagner's Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan required a dramatic shift of musical gears. The Prelude opens at the volume of a whisper, and Maestro Oundjian waited patiently to begin conducting until the audience was suitably quiet, which I fully appreciated. His reading was sensitive and well-paced; allowing Wagner's brilliant orchestration and delicate textures to breathe and fill the Hall.
However, the Mahler Seventh was, as they say, worth the price of admission. Coming in at a solid 75 minutes, this gargantuan work is rarely performed. Perhaps the fact that it is scored for a huge orchestra including additional brass and winds, as well as plentiful percussion, mandolin, guitar and cowbells has something to do with this. The sounds of nature, military fanfares and marches all abound in this extraordinary work, and the closing Rondo-Finale is an absolute roof-raiser. While Oundjian's tempi were somewhat on the expansive side, this was much-appreciated as it provided the opportunity for me to fully appreciate the multifarious colors and textures that Mahler's imaginative scoring draws from the orchestra. Individual and section solos abound throughout this work; but for me the true stars of the evening were undoubtedly the French horns, led by Karl Pituch.
If you missed tonight's performance, you have one more opportunity to hear this program, Sunday afternoon at 3:00. Highly recommended!
Labels: Reviews, William Guy Barast
posted by Detroit Symphony Orchestra at
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