Featuring:
- Wagner Prelude to Act 1 of Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg
- Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto
- Beethoven Symphony No. 3 'Eroica'
Vadim Repin - Violin
Vladimir Jurowski - Conductor
So, how did this concert go after a mind-blowing concert the day before? To be honest, I thought the Saturday's concert was better than the Sunday's.
The concert hall was full for this performance, probably due to the strong words from yesterday's concert goers. And for the first time since I started attending concerts, all audience are required to stand up to 'God Save the Queen' and 'Advance Australia Fair' played by the orchestra. Wagner's Prelude to act 1 of Die Meistersinger opened up the concert. As the programs suggested, there are plenty of counter melodies and counter points throughout the piece, especially in the cello. The finale where all melodies and a choral-like melody combined together proved to be the highlight of the concert for me.
Tchaikovsky's violin concerto is a warhorse that will always please the audience. Vadim Repin delivered a solid playing of it, and there's no point discussing his techniques. His recording of this concerto with Gergiev is my favourite recording of this piece, and he delivered similar reading of it in the concert. I was disappointed when he did the pizzicato in the solo violin passage after the burst in the beginning of the last movement. He plucked all the strings at once, yes, that was indicated at score, but I was hoping he would pluck them one by one, just like he did in his recording. Anyway, the finale was hot, although I enjoyed the second movement the best. The intimate woodwind melodies came out nicely, and I should commend LPO woodwinds for this. For the maestro, he brought out some little details that again went unnoticed by me, stressing some passages which feel unimportant, but were actually very effective. His trademark big gestures are still there. I mentioned something about his left hand on my previous post, so let me comment on his right hand. He hold his baton in his right hand, and prefer to 'jab' the baton to indicate entries in the orchestra. Also he occasionally joined both of his hands, gripping tight to the baton when he wanted the orchestra to play a big forte chord.
The opening movement of the Eroica was taken at a brisk pace, although not as fast as Gardiner's recording. The big chords weren't as loud and dramatic as I would have expected, but I'm pretty sure Jurowski was trying to hold the orchestra until the big climaxes in the second and fourth movements. This proved to be true, the second movement is one of the most morbid funeral march that I've ever listened to and with amazing development section in the passages before the famous fugue in the middle. The clarity from the strings (I can listen to the violas without actually paying special attention to them!) helped enhancing the effect in the fugue. Big moment in the opening of the last movement was a bit unclean, but the variations were brought out nicely. Overall, the performance was of high quality, but not as thought-provoking as last night's Tchaikovsky's 4th. Huge applause followed, but with less standing ovations this time. The encore is...a piece that I'm not familiar with. I know the cellos started it, and the horns were prominent. After the concert, I was too shy to approach any of the orchestral players to ask them what the piece was, until I finally brace myself to talk to, surprise surprise, the leader of the second violin (I believe his name is Fredrik Paulsson), who I was so excited about. I thanked him for a great concert, and commented on his passionate playing. He also mentioned that the orchestra is going back to London tonight. And yes, he informed me that the encore piece was the Prelude to the third act of Die Meistersinger.
A person that I would have loved to meet is the principal cello. She is this gorgeous blonde woman who played with the upmost passion. Unfortunately, I didn't see her after the concert.
Summing up, I really enjoyed both concerts (esp. the Saturday's) and Vladimir Jurowski successfully brought out little details that are as important as the obvious themes in the music. This alone, have enhanced my experience by multiple levels. The enjoyment of hearing counter melodies and counterpoints from the orchestra and when played with such presence and clarity that you can't help but noticing them is a no easy feat and I should commend Jurowski for producing this effect. Orchestra discipline is another important point, when the orchestra moved and played as one, it will make a big impact to the audience (although I need to mention that the orchestra is less discipline on Sunday, as I can detect some hurried and unclean entries). Another point that I need to mention is the quality of the woodwinds section. Often the sound coming out from the winds are blended, and often it's hard to distinguish one from the other when playing unison. In both performances, I could effortlessly do this because of such different colours produced by each player. I don't need to make comments on the brass section: they're just mad. In the fiendishly difficult brass writing in Tchaikovsky's 4th, they produced those crazy fanfares to perfection. Credit also to the percussion section for their awesome performance in Koehne's piece.
Finally, I'll take the bullet asking this question: which orchestra is better? MSO or LPO? Right now, for me, the answer is easy: LPO. However, comparing an orchestra is not that easy: it might be the conductor who made the difference in the level of orchestra playing. I would certainly be able to make better judgement if Jurowski conducts the MSO in, let's say the Tchaikovsky's 4th symphony again.
Showing posts with label vladimir jurowski. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vladimir jurowski. Show all posts
Sunday, 11 October 2009
London Philharmonic Orchestra concert 10 October 2009 - Program One
Featuring:
- Graeme Koehne Powerhouse - Rhumba for orchestra
- Ravel Piano Concerto in G major
- Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4
Jean-Yves Thibaudet - Piano
Vladimir Jurowski - Conductor
Holy crap. I was so looking forward to this concert and the concert met my every expectation. Let me just declare this: I have never heard an orchestra whose members are on the edge of their seats on every second of the concert. To plagiarise someone else's word on LPO: 'This is an orchestra on fire'. I bought the program; it costs 20 bucks - a bit expensive, but I'm quite happy with the quality of it. Another way to think about this is: I got a circle seat for both concerts for $25 each. That's pretty much unbeatable price. Paying extra $20 for the program won't hurt me at all after that.
So, let's start with the concert: Graeme Koehne's Powerhouse, subtitled Rhumba for orchestra, is a piece for large orchestra and clearly obsessed with the Rumba dance. A good piece, although with some popular tunes in it. Although inspired by some popular musics, the pieces itself contained considerable amount of good ideas. Vladimir Jurowski gave a very exciting reading LPO executed music passages effortlessly. One musician that caught my eye immediately was the leader of the second violin who was really into the music. The orchestra never seem to run out of energy and stamina, and always delivered the extra punch during climaxes to heighten the effect.
A very stylish Jean-Yves Thibaudet came out as the soloist for Ravel's masterpiece - Piano Concerto in G major. The orchestra size is much smaller compared to the massive force required in the Koehne's piece. The playfulness of the first movement was brought out successfully and Jurowski impressed me again by bringing out little details that I never noticed before. Jean-Yves executed the piano glissandos in the beginning wonderfully. He also listened attentively to the orchestra and made the performance much more intimate for the soloist and orchestra. I enjoyed all of the movements very much, but the 2nd movement, as beautiful as it was played, fell a bit short of my expectation. The third movement made up for it, and it was played with such energy. A very solid performance.
The main program of the night is Tchaikovsky's 4th symphony. This is the piece that I can hum from beginning to end, and so I thought I know all the details. I was wrong. Jurowski revealed that there's a lot more to this symphony than what I know. The first movement began with a big fanfare which was brilliantly played by LPO brass. Jurowski took a slower tempo than what I normally comfortable with, especially in the sections before the fate motif reappears in the middle and the end of the movement. The tempo was so dangerously slow that it can bore the audience if not executed to perfection. Jurowski maintained the intensity throughout and used the slow tempo that he maintained throughout the development section to do a big contrast during the recapitulation of both reappearances of the fate motif when he did an accelerando. That was seriously glorious. The 2nd movement was poignant, as it should be, and I am seriously impressed with the reading of the second theme of this movement. The 3rd movement is an orchestral showcase for pizzicato strings, and excruciating part for the piccolo. No trouble at all here. Each pizzicato was clear as crystal and the dynamic and colour contrast between each of them are ultimately brought out. Allegro con fuoco is the marking of the 4th movement and that's how Jurowski interpreted it: furious with neck-breaking speed. All players are on the edge of their seats, the climaxes were overwhelming and I heard more stuff that I never heard before. The finale is just otherworldly and ultimately brought down the house. After a prolonged applause and standing ovations, we were given the Russian Dance from the Nutcracker suite as an encore.
This concert was seriously awesome. Let me comment on Vladimir Jurowski. He's such magnetic and charismatic on the podium. His gestures are precise, grandeur and just so exciting to watch. His left hand is just crazy, he probably showed other conductors so many interesting things one can do with that hand only. His musical interpretation is superb. Details are being attended to, climaxes are overwhelming. His reading of Tchaikovsky's 4th symphony, especially the 1st movement is thought-provoking for me. This is the first time I felt this way about a performance. Also, he never underestimated the importance of a phrase in the entire 4th symphony. Each musical phrase is treated at utmost respect and executing them brilliantly throughout is a huge feat.
I seriously can't wait for tomorrow's concert. Tchaikovsky's violin concerto and Beethoven's Eroica are pieces that I'm too familiar with. Gave another thought-provoking reading of them tomorrow, Maestro Jurowski!
Finally, it's a bit disappointing not to have full house in Hamer Hall, although both seats in the Circle and Stalls are at capacity. So if you want to go tomorrow and wonder if there are any seats left, the answer is yes.
On a personal note, I sat next to a Russian lady in the audience. We chatted a little, and more when I found out that her musical knowledge is pretty good. She loved Mahler, and complained about the conservative taste of Australian audience. When discussing about piano concerto, she mentioned she enjoyed Saint-Saens' 2nd piano concerto and Prokofiev's. 'Which one (of the Prokofiev)?' I asked. '2nd or 3rd?'. To my surprise, she said she loved the 2nd! And to her surprise, I responded, 'Yes! finally someone who loved that piece!'. And finally, she impressed me again by saying, 'You know..there are some composers who don't like Tchaikovsky's music. Brahms doesn't like Tchaikovsky'. To which I replied, 'Yes, Tchaikovsky hates Brahms too. The feeling is mutual there'. She apparently loved my reply :). Aaaahhhhhh, how I wish everyone is as knowledgeable as this old Russian lady.
- Graeme Koehne Powerhouse - Rhumba for orchestra
- Ravel Piano Concerto in G major
- Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4
Jean-Yves Thibaudet - Piano
Vladimir Jurowski - Conductor
Holy crap. I was so looking forward to this concert and the concert met my every expectation. Let me just declare this: I have never heard an orchestra whose members are on the edge of their seats on every second of the concert. To plagiarise someone else's word on LPO: 'This is an orchestra on fire'. I bought the program; it costs 20 bucks - a bit expensive, but I'm quite happy with the quality of it. Another way to think about this is: I got a circle seat for both concerts for $25 each. That's pretty much unbeatable price. Paying extra $20 for the program won't hurt me at all after that.
So, let's start with the concert: Graeme Koehne's Powerhouse, subtitled Rhumba for orchestra, is a piece for large orchestra and clearly obsessed with the Rumba dance. A good piece, although with some popular tunes in it. Although inspired by some popular musics, the pieces itself contained considerable amount of good ideas. Vladimir Jurowski gave a very exciting reading LPO executed music passages effortlessly. One musician that caught my eye immediately was the leader of the second violin who was really into the music. The orchestra never seem to run out of energy and stamina, and always delivered the extra punch during climaxes to heighten the effect.
A very stylish Jean-Yves Thibaudet came out as the soloist for Ravel's masterpiece - Piano Concerto in G major. The orchestra size is much smaller compared to the massive force required in the Koehne's piece. The playfulness of the first movement was brought out successfully and Jurowski impressed me again by bringing out little details that I never noticed before. Jean-Yves executed the piano glissandos in the beginning wonderfully. He also listened attentively to the orchestra and made the performance much more intimate for the soloist and orchestra. I enjoyed all of the movements very much, but the 2nd movement, as beautiful as it was played, fell a bit short of my expectation. The third movement made up for it, and it was played with such energy. A very solid performance.
The main program of the night is Tchaikovsky's 4th symphony. This is the piece that I can hum from beginning to end, and so I thought I know all the details. I was wrong. Jurowski revealed that there's a lot more to this symphony than what I know. The first movement began with a big fanfare which was brilliantly played by LPO brass. Jurowski took a slower tempo than what I normally comfortable with, especially in the sections before the fate motif reappears in the middle and the end of the movement. The tempo was so dangerously slow that it can bore the audience if not executed to perfection. Jurowski maintained the intensity throughout and used the slow tempo that he maintained throughout the development section to do a big contrast during the recapitulation of both reappearances of the fate motif when he did an accelerando. That was seriously glorious. The 2nd movement was poignant, as it should be, and I am seriously impressed with the reading of the second theme of this movement. The 3rd movement is an orchestral showcase for pizzicato strings, and excruciating part for the piccolo. No trouble at all here. Each pizzicato was clear as crystal and the dynamic and colour contrast between each of them are ultimately brought out. Allegro con fuoco is the marking of the 4th movement and that's how Jurowski interpreted it: furious with neck-breaking speed. All players are on the edge of their seats, the climaxes were overwhelming and I heard more stuff that I never heard before. The finale is just otherworldly and ultimately brought down the house. After a prolonged applause and standing ovations, we were given the Russian Dance from the Nutcracker suite as an encore.
This concert was seriously awesome. Let me comment on Vladimir Jurowski. He's such magnetic and charismatic on the podium. His gestures are precise, grandeur and just so exciting to watch. His left hand is just crazy, he probably showed other conductors so many interesting things one can do with that hand only. His musical interpretation is superb. Details are being attended to, climaxes are overwhelming. His reading of Tchaikovsky's 4th symphony, especially the 1st movement is thought-provoking for me. This is the first time I felt this way about a performance. Also, he never underestimated the importance of a phrase in the entire 4th symphony. Each musical phrase is treated at utmost respect and executing them brilliantly throughout is a huge feat.
I seriously can't wait for tomorrow's concert. Tchaikovsky's violin concerto and Beethoven's Eroica are pieces that I'm too familiar with. Gave another thought-provoking reading of them tomorrow, Maestro Jurowski!
Finally, it's a bit disappointing not to have full house in Hamer Hall, although both seats in the Circle and Stalls are at capacity. So if you want to go tomorrow and wonder if there are any seats left, the answer is yes.
On a personal note, I sat next to a Russian lady in the audience. We chatted a little, and more when I found out that her musical knowledge is pretty good. She loved Mahler, and complained about the conservative taste of Australian audience. When discussing about piano concerto, she mentioned she enjoyed Saint-Saens' 2nd piano concerto and Prokofiev's. 'Which one (of the Prokofiev)?' I asked. '2nd or 3rd?'. To my surprise, she said she loved the 2nd! And to her surprise, I responded, 'Yes! finally someone who loved that piece!'. And finally, she impressed me again by saying, 'You know..there are some composers who don't like Tchaikovsky's music. Brahms doesn't like Tchaikovsky'. To which I replied, 'Yes, Tchaikovsky hates Brahms too. The feeling is mutual there'. She apparently loved my reply :). Aaaahhhhhh, how I wish everyone is as knowledgeable as this old Russian lady.
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