Philharmonic Brings Power to Works of War
David Weininger, The Boston Globe, April 30, 2005
Posted: 2005-05-09 15:02:02
Putting together a program of war-related music from the 20th from the 20th century is dismayingly easy. So, it's to Benjamin Zander's credit that, for his final concert of the Boston Philharmonic's season, he put together a program entitiled "War and Peace" that avoided many of the topic's more familiar offerings.
The most noteworthy work was "Oration (Concerto Elegiaco) by the British composer Frank Bridge. Bridge is now remembered chiefly as Benjamin Britten's teacher, and little of his music has settled into the repertoire. This cello concerto, written in 1930 and first performed in 1936, received its American premiere at Thursday night's concert.
A deeply personal reaction to the horrors of World War I, "Oration" consists of three marches, each more brutal than the last, linked by arias for the cello speaking in the fragile voice of humanity against barbarism. It's a complex, impressive piece, and what's interesting is its refusal to wear its heart on its sleeve despite the weight of its subject matter. The marches are harrowing, but brief, and the essence of the music lies in the arias, whose musical language is eloquent but almost elusive. Unlike other war pieces of the time, it prefers to speak indirectly about the horrors to which it stands as witness.
Cellist Alexander Baillie is one of the work's few champions, and he and the Philharmonic made a powerful case for it. His tone was almost raw with intensity, and he played up the solo part's speech-like outbursts. He found a deep rapport with Zander, who incisively guided the orchestra through unknown territory.
Preceding it on the program was Krzysztof's Penderecki's "Threnody for the Victim's of Hiroshima" for strings. Here war's horror is dragged into plain sight. Penderecki's dissonant tone clusters and ugly slides evoke grief and lamentation almost too directly. When it was written in 1960 the "Threnody" was the avant of the avant-garde. Now, whether becasue we've seen too much or heard too much, it simply sounds dated.
Prokokiev's Fifth Symphony was an odd choice to complete to complete thee venings offerings. It's linked to World War II only by circumstance: At its premiere in 1945, the audience could supposedly hear the cannon fire of the Russian's final push against the Nazis. But its an almost militantly positive work, high spiritedly innocent of the chaos around it.
The Philharmonic had a great evening. The musician's performance were among the very best they've given in recent memory. They played with authority and with a richness in their sound that isn't always there.
The Prokokiev was especially rewarding. The orchestral color was palpably vivid, thanks to some brilliant work by the winds and brass. Zander's pacing was superb and he let this sprawling, episodic work unfold with naturalness and majesty.
