Concert Review: Stravinsky-Gergiev I

Concert Review: Stravinsky-Gergiev

The Russian Stravinsky: A Philharmonic Festival, Avery Fisher Hall
New York Philharmonic-Valery Gergiev, Conductor Chorus of the Mariinsky Theater-Andrei Petrenko, Principal Chorus Master

This most amazing series spans several weeks, pairing the familiar and the rare Stravinsky in concerts, all conducted by the amazing Gergiev. Even more remarkably, the series emphasizes choral works that are usually shunned by the general audience, sung by the superb Russian chorus. Plus the star soloists, the incredible programing in this case has translated so far to resounding box office successes, rare for Stravinsky.

More than once I wondered why Stravinksy (beyond the Firebird and Rite) is not more popular with audiophiles. The sophisticated percussive writing and the sheer animal nature of some of the more explosive moments easily put the rather monochromatic Carmina Burana (not a favorite piece of mine) in the shade.

The NYPO have been playing splendidly, with more panache (almost "Russian") and involvment than usual (this orchestra can easily seem aloof), no doubt under the spell of Gergiev. Compared to his own orchestra (heard previously in the same hall in Prokofiev) the difference is relatively small. NY is a little more refined and precise but the Russians had more nuance. The brass of the NYPO has always been superb. They were super-human here, sometimes sounding like one instrument, with unmatched precision in attack and always warm sound.

As mentioned, the chorus is remarkable. Each section sang in unison, the blend seamless, and their dynamic precision is breath-taking, just the vehicle for Stravinsky.

April 23, 2010 Les Noces/Symphony of Psalms/Firebird (1910)
I struck gold with this concert, the second program of the series. Due to the volcanic disruption of European flights, the chrous could not arrive in time for the first program, for which Les Noces was originally scheduled. For this concert Les Noces replaced Jeu de Cartes, and I was delighted. Just the sight of the orchestra was worth the ticket of admission: no upper strings, and 4 pianos! For details reald the NYT review.

Les Noces is not an easy work to listen to at home, but it's spectacularly entertaining in the concert hall. The gloriously rich percussion sound rendered the best of our hifi reproduction a joke. This was followed by the austere Symphony of Psalms, given a precise reading. The complete 1910 Firebird was immaculately paced and subtle, though those more attuned to the showy elements in the suites would have been a little lost.

Read the NYT review for full details.

April 28, 2010 Zvezdolikiy/Violin Concerto/Oedipus Rex
The Violin Concerto was given a strong account by Leonidas Kavakos. The orchestra was excellent, but I felt the last degree of give-and-take between the soloist and orchestra was amiss. A little Bach served as an encore, tidy but not particularly involving.

I am at a lost for word for the dramatic Oedipus Rex. Even more than Les Noces, this is a stunner in terms of sonic spectacular. What a cast, though I thought Waltraud Meier was long past her prime. The male chorus sang with zest. Thanks to the super-titles I enjoyed it immensely.

For details read the NYT Review

Concert Review: The Flying Dutchman

Concert Review: The Flying Dutchman

April 26, Metropolitan Opera
Wagner: the Flying Dutchamn

The Flying Dutchman has always been a favorite of mine. Although the plot and libretto are rather absurd and a challenge for any production, the music is headstrong and full of romantic ardor. It is also not overly long. :-)

I attended the second performance on the day the NYT review came out, with general praise of the singers but a severe thumbing down of the conductor, Kazushi Ono. As my interest in the opera lies more in the sweeping orchestral score rather than the vocal writing, I attended with some apprehension.

The family circle audience looked quite different from usual, many younger people, blacks and Hispanics that we don't often see in such numbers. Judging by the way they acted, many were in the venue for the first time. When the light dimmed there were a few yells of "Bravo". This, at the start of the performance! Defenders of Ono? I suspect tickets were distributed through "alternative" channels, at least for this performance.

The first few minutes of the overture was indeed quite rough, the solo's unfeeling, and I prepared for the worst. Slowly, the orchestra warmed up and throughout the evening played with beauty and sureness. Although lacking in the utmost grandeur and atmosphere, Ono paced the opera well and my attention never sagged. Except for the opening bit, I didn't detect the problems noted in the NYT review.

I'd not dwell on the vocals too much. Deborah Voigt was powerful, but I found her German ennuciation too studied and her high notes rather metallic to be completely satisfactory. I was pleasantly surprised by the lyrical singing of Stephen Gould, which he held steady to the end. As the Dutchman, Uusitalo certainly did not match up to Jose Van Dam (who does these days), whom I heard in the awful Jean-Pierre Ponnelle production decades ago. I must say this production is a lot better than that pretentious one.

Concert Review: Belcea Quartet

Concert Review: Belcea Quartet

April 24, 2010, Washington Irving High School
Belcea Quartet
Beethoven/Szymanowski/Bartok

The marvelous Belcea Quartet were playing 2 programs in NYC, one in Lincoln Center, at a premium, and this one, at a price anyone can afford, with a definite early twentieth century tilt.

The Szymanowski No. 2 alone was more than worth the price of admission. If you are attuned to this composer's shimmering coloristic, and chromatic, world, you would have been in bliss, as I most definitely were. The impressionistic elements were conveyed with a deft and subtle touch, while the more rhythmic outbursts were delivered with a dynamism that was startling. Most importantly, juxtaposition of the shifting worlds was natural, unusally idomatic. The same applied to Bartok's No. 1, its length and polyglot stylistic elements negotiated with unfailing sureness. Opening the program was Beethoven's OP 18/6, played perhaps a little too seriously to align it with the twentieth century, not that the piece cannot withstand it. An equally serious Britten movement served as an encore.

The ensemble was stunning. Leader Corina Belcea-Fisher led with an iron-grip, her phrasing unfailingly musical, her tone varied and always beautiful, and her rhythmic sureness confident. There was not a weak link in ensemble. Second violin Laura Samuel miraculously blended seamlessly with both Belcea and violist Krzysztof Chorzelski, lending the inner voices a solid foundation. And the lower voices also blended seamlessly; sometimes I could not tell the viola from the cellist Antoine Lederlin. What astonishing accomplishment for such a young quartet.

The global level of string quartet playing in some ways has improved significantly. This quartet are at a very high level, almost approaching that of my favorite, the Artemis Quartet. England must be doing something right in chamber music. What a wonderful evening.

There's no yet a NYT review, but I came across coverage from an excellent Blog that I have cited before. It's good to know there are fellow souls who care!

I recommend their cheap and stunning Bartok cycle on EMI (pictured).

Concert Review: Augustin Hadelich

Concert Review: Augustin Hadelich

April 18, Town Hall
Augustin Hadelich/Akiro Eguchi

I first learnt of Augustin Hadelich from a HKPL Naxos CD of Haydn. I was instantly captivated by his fluidity and the sheer joy and carefree nature. It was not until I read the New York Times Profile before the concert that I realized he had recovered from what would be debilitating for mere mortals.

New York is amazing. I have been attending concerts for almost four decades now, and yet for some reason I had never set foot in Town Hall. This is a concert sponsored by the People's Symphony Concerts, with its amazingly low ticket price, one of the best kept secrets of NYC. I had been attending its Saturday series at the Washington Irving High School, but had never attended any Town Hall concerts.

The hall has amazing acoustics. Here is a list of who's who that have appeared on this stage, and the stage still looks like it always did, Wow! At the end of this post I attach vintage programs proudly displayed in the corridors. Isn't it sad only old halls have good acoustics? What happened to the "science" of acoustics?

In a challenging program, the tone of Hadelich was exquisite, and he was partnered well by Eguchi. Stravinsky's Suite Italienne was elegant, though some would like it more acerbic. After a Takemitsu piece, the Debussy Sonata was out of this world, the best I have ever heard, live or on records, and it certainly eclipsed the Repin live account I heard some time ago (reviewed previously). It had incredible finesse, finely nuanced, and besides perfect balance of dynamics and a natural sense of rhythm, a fludity that's missing in most performances of this elusive piece. The Ysaye Solo Sonata No. 5 almost sounded too fluent, though not enough to dispell notions of a certain cerebral quality of the music. Yet it bested all of the accounts I have heard, including Shumsky's. Schumann's Sonata No. 1 concluded the evening on a more romantic note.

Most amazing were the Sarasate encores. First up was the perennial Ziguenerweisen, played fastidiously that it was like a new piece. The laments were rich toned, just as the virtuosic passages were dazzling. And I had never heard so many notes! Another shorter Sarasate piece concluded the perfect afternoon.

A trademark of this violinist is his absolute sureness of attack, right on the note, with no overhang whatsoever. This quality made his phrasing distinctive, and natural, without the effort of consciously pointing.

One of the best recitals I have ever attended.

Below are the old programs, who's who in music (the little girl is my heroine, Ruth Slenzynska), as well as some album covers that feature the stage:

Concert Review: Rokia Traore

Concert Review: Rokia Traore

April 17, 2010, Highline Ballroom
Rokia Traore

Highline Ballroom, a place full of surprises
My happiness on finding out the Daniel Hope concert at the Highline Ballroom (previous post) was nothing compared to the near-ecstasy I felt when I browsed the Highline Ballroom website and found out Rokia Traore was giving a concert later in the week!!!!

Rokia Traore
I have to thank J.C. for getting to know this wonderful singer. We heard JC play tracks from her album Bomboi, and we were hooked. What a fine voice full of emotion, and we didn't even know what she was singing about! I now have several of her CDs and my audiophile friends in NYC took to her like we did too.

Although on her albums she was singing in a Mali dialect, Rokia Traore was well bred (see wikipedia entry) and apparently multilingual.

It is a MUST you visit her Official Website. It's in French, but right on the front page there is a Live Dec 2009 video (click ">Voir Le Video") of superior quality to the youtube I am embedding below. There's a lot more clips when you click on Videos.

The Concert
There were a lot fewer seats and no sit-down dining downstairs. About half the people, including myself, were standing and swinging to the music. The band appeared to be the same as in her official video, and they came out high. The grooves did not feel particularly African; after all, this is world music, though happily amongst the best in this admittedly uneven genre. Some of the numbers were familiar, and Traore paid tribute to Miriam Makeba, surely the icon of the female African singer. She sang mostly in her native tongue, but there were a few in French (likely her second language), delivered in style. One English song I did not enjoy too much; it's her weakest language. Her voice was a little hoarse; no doubt the tour (four months) has taked its toll.

Traore is a very stylish presence, a beautiful lady. Her gesticulations during the slower numbers were fluid, imbued with elements of the dance, and elegant.

The long African songs I am sure contained improvised elements, full of taunts and cries, sometimes a little like our own 山歌. These were mesmerizing in their powers, and the repetitions were ritual and hypnotic at once. A bit surprising, the blast and energy, since on her albums her numbers are not so frankly groovy. This is understandable for a concert, as the musicians need to work a crowd. The energy level steadily increased as the concert progressed, and for the last forty minutes Rokia Traore was dancing vehemently, her elegance increasingly yielding to the sensual, even erotic. And that was the greatest surprise of the evening - this lady is as much dancer as singer!

As is the case with many African singers, or American Black singers, Traore took some time to speak to the crowd on the misery of her people, the tragedy that is Africa, and the need to cling onto hope. Yes, she is a good speaker too. At the very end, several people popped in for a brief while and danced with her; one of them I suspect was Cesaria Evora. None of that prepared us for the finale, when the background vocal lady went into paroxysmal spasms of some high-jitter African dance moves, effectively ending the great concert.

I saw people taking videos during the performance. Sure enough, after a bit of searching I found some footage of the concert loaded on youtube. That was efficient! I embedded these for your pleasure, and hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

Concert Review: Daniel Hope and Friends

Click on pic to enlarge Concert Review: Daniel Hope and Friends 5/4/2010, Highline Ballroom

British violinist Daniel Hope is a rising star. Several of his CDs (most with the Chamber orchestra of Europe) are available from the HK library and I have liked them all. So I was very pleased to find out that he would be giving a concert in promotion of his new baroque album.

The most unusual thing about the concert is where it took place, at the Highline Ballroom, a place not normally associated with the classical world. I found out accidentally by reading the listing in Friday's New York Times.

As its name implies, the Ballroom is close to the New York Highline, a park that runs along a long-abandoned elevated old railway stretch, a testimony to the city's cutting edge in design. It's a great place to walk around and view the downtown skyline and the water to the west.

The Highline Ballroom is a medium sized venue/club that usually caters to hipper stuff. Popular pop artists with high appeal give shows of standing room only. You can buy drinks from the bar. Artists of less popular appeal (jazz, classical) may have seated shows. This one of course was a seated show, with full dinner menu available and a $10 minimum (in addition to the admission ticket). I am not sure you can see from the dim picture that the gents and ladies sitting, many British naturally, were having drinks and food. My friend had a hamburger and I a glass of wine. hey, that's nice for a change.

The program, a mixture of the familiar with the obscure, is the first from Hope's new recording label, DG (which seems to be snapping up all young firebrand violinists in sight; Nicola Benendetti is another example), titled Air, a baroque journey (also click here). Hope introduced every piece, quite charmingly. His playing was HIP-informed and fluent. Ensemble was tight and the baroque instruments were a real sight. Oh, yes, it was amplified, but modestly, so Hope's tone was quite natural. There was no program and Hope introduced his friends by mouth, so I cannot be sure whether they are the same ones (mostly from the COE) on the DG album.

I am almost tempted to get the album, but I'm sure the library shall have it in due time. Meanwhile I noticed the album is available as FLAC file. Now, I'd love to hear that.

Concert Review: Borodin String Quartet

Concert Review: Borodin String Quartet

March 24, 2010, Alice Tully Hall
Borodin String Quartet
Brahms-Rachmaninov-Tchaikovsky

I was very happy for the priviledge to hear one of my favorite quartets (two others would be the Artemis and the Shanghai), the Borodin Quartet, for the fourth time, and in Alice Tully Hall, which I have not visited after its re-opening.

The group has remained the same since death of the great Berlinsky. They still play with peerless unainimity and a golden blend ( see my review in 2008). The great surprise is that in the new Alice Tully Hall two aspects of their sound have changed: first, first violin Aharonian's tone is less white than before, still penetrating but without glare; second, the tone of cellist Balshin, previously smallish, has firmed up considerably. The balance is more generous. This could be due to change of the quartet's sound (not unusual) but could also at least partly be attributable to the much praised acoustics of the completely rebuilt new hall, which is a little larger than life, and warmish.

The program was surprisingly challenging. Neither the Brahms Second nor the Tchaikovsky Second are often encountered. Both were played perfectly, the thorny knots of the Brahms untying themselves with ease, and the Tchaikovsky scaled new heights of sophistication. In between came the early Rachmaninov's Romance from Two Movements for String Quartet.