The last time I wrote about the BSO concert I attended was on 2/24 and it was not one of my more pleasant concert experiences. The contrast tonight points out to me something terribly significant. It taught me that modern music such as Stravinsky,Shostakovich and many others does not affect me viscerally in a negative fashion. It is Carter, Shoenberg, Messiaen, Berg and the likes that I can't tolerate. I need major and minor chords and I like things to resolve with closure in music as well as in life.
Maestro Daniele Gatti conducted. Malcolm Lowe, the Concertmaster had the night off. The Associate Concertmaster, Tamara Smirnova played magnificently as both pieces called for lots of Strings. The first half, heard Schumann's Piano Concerto in A minor, Opus 54. The piano, played by Garrick Ohlsson, about whom it was written that to date he has about 80 concertos at his command. He deserved the standing ovation and applause he received though the Concerto is not a particularly emotional or exciting piece. It is melodic, more even in tempo and volume than is required to keep some of the aging audience awake, my eyes noted as I looked around. Maestro Gatti pulled out a great performance from the troops.
The second half was stellar. It was Shostakovich's Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Opus 47 in four movements: Moderato, Largo, Allegretto and Allegro non troppo. It brought excitement that was missing in Schumann. Shostakovich used his instrumentation most unusually. Cellos picked low tones beating like boots marching. This was followed more volubly when the Basses took over.
In the second movement, a very close harmony (somewhat atonal) lacked the offensive effect I find in so many pieces by Shoenberg and his disciples. At times it felt a bit bi-polar. The music quickly alternated between an ominous sound quickly followed by uplifting lightness. The composer uses the strings to do so much more than smoothly bow. The Strings frequently plucked, adding decisiveness to the sound. There was no soporific effect in any movement. Rather, it vacillated between serenity and agony, not painful to listen but sensing the expression of pain in the music. The flautist and harpist soloed and duetted in the third movement, beautifully and melodically, gently easing and giving way to the strings which began their journey to crescendo.
While Schumann offered a recognizable melody, one would not have been likely to walk out of the concert hall humming anything from the Shostakovich. In the last movement, as the Strings stayed frenetic, Percussion and Brass carried the weight and solemnity. It is said that more has been said about the 5th Symphony than any other piece in modern history. With that, my final comment is that I consider this a modern piece and thoroughly enjoyed it, so it is not modern music that turns me off. I suspect that, just as certain smells are offensive to some people but not all, so is certain music. Sitting in Symphony Hall I never feel alone in my reactions though they are clearly not universal.
No comments:
Post a Comment