I went to the Philadelphia Orchestra again on Friday. On the program were two Mozart works - Serenade in D major (K 239) and Piano Concerto #25 - and Brahms' Symphony #1. While the Philadelphia Orchestra is a very good ensemble, their programming is not too adventurous. It seems like each concert features one very standard-rep warhorse (so far: Beethoven 3, Mendelssohn Violin Concerto, Brahms 1) and then something slightly less famous by another most-performed composer and/or the one of the most famous things by a slightly less-performed composer. Oregon Symphony is definitely better at programming works by living composers, as well as seldom-performed but high quality works by composers you thought you knew well. I'm not sure why this is, but my guess it that it has to do with the Oregon Symphony's and Philadelphia Orchestra's respective financial situations and audiences, both of which (I suspect) give the Oregon Symphony a little more room to take programming risks. Anyway, the warhorses do get excellent performances in Philly.
The Mozart Serenade was, to be honest, not the most interesting Mozart I've ever heard, and I'm a little embarrassed to say that I don't remember much about it. The soloist for the concerto was Emmanuel Ax. I expected him to be really good and he was. I was unfortunately not very focused in the first two movements - I was tired, and perhaps just not in the right mindset for Mozart - but I was rapt during the rondo. I've always loved rondos, and they tend to make me laugh at inappropriate times (such as when I am in a concert hall, or even when I am onstage playing the damn things). Ax played it with great sensitivity to its humorous potential, broadening the end of a phrase leading into the return of the rondo tune, hesitating a moment before launching back into the familiar material - I couldn't help it; I giggled, and the guy sitting next to me (another ezseatU kid) looked over. I think he smiled, though, so hopefully he wasn't thinking "How dare you giggle in this Temple of Art!" (I get a little paranoid.)
An interesting thing happened at intermission. I was whistling a bit of Brahms 1 as I was walking out of the hall, and then I stopped, and the guy sitting next to me (who was walking out behind me) took it up where I left off. Dear readers, I should have spoken to him. I am a fool.
So, Brahms. Brahms was great. I know more than one person who's really into Brahms but not that into his first symphony (bet one of them is reading this, you know who you are, hi!) but it might actually be my favorite, even if it's not the most distinctively "Brahmsian." And I think the Philadelphia Orchestra was born to play Brahms. I got a little sleepy during Mozart (shame on me!) and was worried that I would continue to be sleepy after intermission, but as soon as they started playing, I was completely swept up in the lush strings and rich woodwinds. These folks "get" romantic better than classical, I think (though maybe I'm projecting). All the solos were wonderful; oboe and violin in the second movement, clarinet in the third, and horn in the fourth all had beautiful tone and played flawlessly. The Brahms made the concert for me. Wish I could say more about it. I guess this is what I get for writing about it three days after it happened.
And now, for those of you based in or near Portland, I shall comment on the Oregon Symphony's 2012-2013 season (announced Saturday) and tell you that you should go to lots of concerts. (I, sadly, cannot.) There's a pretty good balance of stuff I know an love and stuff I've never heard before. I think I counted five living composers - could be better, but still better than Philly. Among the better-known things I really really wish I could be there for: Sibelius 5, Mahler 6, Copland 3, German Requiem, War Requiem (Yes, both! WANT), Tod und Verklärung, and Mozart's Piano Concerto #20. They've again saved their most interesting programming for Carnegie - Prangcharoen, Weill, Schoenberg, Schubert, Ravel, with Storm Large. See here for the complete season: http://tickets.orsymphony.org/auxiliary/AUXListing.aspx
In other news, I found a Chinese bakery four blocks from my house and have now gone there five days in a row because it is fantastic. This could become a problem.
I'm actually a big fan of Brahms's 1st, especially the 1st movement. Its so jagged and...spiky. Seattle Symphony had a similar problem when Schwarz was the conductor, of not being able to perform pre Beethoven repertoire very well. Part of your difficulty with the Mozart may have been the performance as you say.
ReplyDeleteAs for giggling, most attentive listeners would find that charming that some one was so into the piece, and that's probably what the guy did. Yeah, you should have talked to him.
I was thinking Philly Orchestra might not be too mainstream since they played Frank Martin, but perhaps they aren't as consistent with newer and more obscure repertoire.
Was that a reference to me?! :D If not, I generally dislike the 1st too. :P
ReplyDeleteI think the first movement is fun, and you can't not like that opening, but I find that the rest of the symphony drags. I don't think it's atypical Brahms, but I think the structure isn't as tight and appealing as in his better works.
I haven't been to a concert for a while, but I'm off to London on Thursday to see the Royal Philharmonia. They're performing Brahms's Haydn Variations (<3), Beethoven's 7th, and Mitsuko Uchida is playing Schoenberg's Piano Concerto. Exciting!
Yes, that was a reference to you. :)That Brahms 1 is not structurally tight is a valid critique. I enjoy structure and economy of means, but I get plenty of that from Beethoven, so maybe that leads me to cut other composers a little slack - I don't require it from everybody.
DeleteThat concert does sound exciting!
Thanks for the tips on the concerts to not miss by the OS.
ReplyDeleteon the note about the bakery... walk there and and walk back... and then some.
We will have to plan a summer concert outing soon!