Friday October 27, 2006 SGN.org |
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Volume 34 Issue 43 |
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Thursday, Jul 24, 2008
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Escape from the routine - the Kirov Orchestra at Benaroya Hall |
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| Escape from the routine - the Kirov Orchestra at Benaroya Hall | ||
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by Rod Parke
SGN A&E Writer
Love it or hate it. There wasn't much
middle ground as pianist Alexander Toradze
put his stamp on a warhorse, Tchaikovsky's
.Piano Concerto No. 1.' The opening bars
were most impressive. The gutsy horns and
a very broad tempo shook hands with the
enormous tone from the Steinway, giving us
everything I dream of for this work's grand
beginning. I was in tears twice in the first
three minutes! What followed, however, was a mixed bag of mostly impressive strokes that got robbed of their intended emotional impact by moments of outlandish self-indulgence. Quiet piano passages between the many climaxes became absurdly slow and distorted beyond recognition. Shock at such weird meanderings replaced needed repose. As one musician remarked to me afterwards, Tchaikovsky doesn't need this kind of monkeying around. But there was also much to admire. Toradze 's technical power allowed him to make sharp accents within virtuosic passages, giving welcome expressive shape where one often hears a generalized shower of notes. His dynamic shadings, while sometimes wildly unexpected, were often musical and interesting. And his bearish hulk often bounced with boyish glee as he conquered the most difficult passages with ease. Seldom have I heard such a powerful left hand. His performance was about as far from routine as you can get! The Kirov Orchestra offered much to chew on. Lacking the technical polish of many American orchestras, the players produced a sound that was warmer than we're accustomed to, yet it lacked nothing in articulation and transparency. What I missed was truly soft playing. Where one expected quiet horns or woodwinds, we often got medium loud. What the Kirov may have lacked in ultimate refinement, it more than made up for in passion and power. Huge climaxes never disturbed its cohesive sound. Of special note was the warm support provided by the double basses. The huge string section played as one intense instrument. Valery Gergiev conducted this fine ensemble with clarity and depth of passion. No moment lacked point. While his accompaniment of the soloist avoided the strange excursions mentioned earlier, his direction was nonetheless never routine. The whole evening had character, sometimes finely drawn and often strongly etched. It would have been interesting to hear the differences between Gerard Schwarz' recent impressive reading of the eighth symphony of Dmitri Shostakovich and what Gergiev drew from that score in other cities on this tour. Instead we got the composer's .Symphony No. 11 in G minor,' a work in four movements without break. The symphony opened with quiet but intense harmonies from the strings, and most interestingly a complex but soft commentary by the tympani, which rode the string sound like a cautious observer looking fearfully for trouble. It was gorgeous and terrifying at once. As the work progressed, it became almost a concerto for tympani and orchestra. In no other work can I remember such a complex and extensive part for the kettle drums. Gergiev and the Kirov players made the most of this masterful symphony. As a whole, it may not have had the emotional punch of the eighth symphony, but it was fascinating throughout with never a banal moment. Guest conductors and guest orchestras provide an important context within which to appreciate our own fine orchestra. I appreciate every chance I get to hear the sounds that other ensembles have developed and refined. I would return to the warmth and power of the Kirov any chance I could get. Reviewer Rod Parke can be reached at rmp62@columbia.edu. |
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