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Tuesday, May 13,2008
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Electrified Presence
Classical Review
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expect beautiful tone and masterful phrasing from Ma. I wasn’t prepared for his
depth of humanity in this piece and overwhelming musical acting, portraying the
character’s swoons, groans and palpable longing. The Don’s aching idealism
ended with a heartbreaking death scene from Ma. The orchestra’s playing of this
great score and its inventive instrumentation was electrified by Ma’s presence
and love of collaboration. Robert Levine, MSO principal violist, was most
prominent of soloists featured from the orchestra, performing with strength,
warmth and agile richness.
Andreas
Delfs led Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 on Wednesday evening; the same piece was
repeated at the subscription concert on the weekend. It concluded Delfs’
circuit of all nine Beethoven symphonies with MSO this season. His expressive
freedom and fully sculpted concepts make it obvious that he feels personal
affinity with these works. The Saturday performance was more refined than on
Wednesday, but still caught the composer’s giddiness in the first, third and
fourth movements. Delfs likes fast tempos in this symphony; I doubt that the
finale ever could be any quicker. There were small signs of effort to achieve
fleetness on Wednesday. By Saturday the orchestra had gotten Delfs’ full gallop
under its belt, pulling it off with exciting panache.
Principal
cellist Joseph Johnson, in his first season with MSO, has been a strong
addition to the orchestra. His effect on the unity and tone of the cello
section is apparent. Johnson was heard in Concerto No. 1 by Camille
Saint-Saëns, which gave showcase to the deeply felt lyrical qualities of his
playing, with opportunity for lovely tenderness. Roy Harris’ earnest Symphony
No. 3 from 1939, which began the weekend program, made me wonder why it
conjures powerful nostalgia in me for an era in American music that I was born
too late to experience.
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