Review of Joshua Bell with the Oregon Symphony and Jun Märkl

Long lines led up to the Will Call window on Monday evening (April 25) for the Oregon Symphony concert, and a lot of last-minute ticket sales inside the doors seemed to be negotiated with urgency. The star-power of violinist Joshua Bell certainly had an impact, and consequently the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall looked almost as full as it does on Saturday evenings when I normally attend.

After everyone was seated, no one was disappointed because Bell and the orchestra, under principal guest conductor Jun Märkl mesmerized the house with a spectacular interpretation of Dvořák’s Volin Concerto. Bell and his colleagues gave a 150 percent – nay, a 200 percent effort in this performance. Everyone on stage was in total sync with each other. When he was not playing, Bell turned often to listen to the orchestra. Märkl was glued to Bell, and the orchestra responded with a dazzling intensity that was matched with panache by Bell.

The mind-meld started right from the downbeat with a sweeping statement from Bell and the orchestra. Their phrasing was immaculate and full of a life-force that completely enchanted the audience. Bell was in a zone as he zinged out the highest notes and conquered a mind-boggling series of runs and devastatingly tricky passages – and made it all sound absolutely gorgeous.

You could have heard a pin drop as the piece transitioned to the slow movement. Bell and company elicited the tenderest sounds before fading into the sunset. They then delved into the ebullient final movement and made it whirl and dance with elan. The audience immediately burst into a standing ovation that brought Bell back to center stage three times.

Märkl concisely introduced Arnold Schoenberg’s orchestral arrangement of Brahms’ First Piano Quartet with a bit of humor, noting that the composer was a violist and that “you should never underestimate the viola player.” (This comment had special bearing because Portland composer Kenji Bunch is a member of the Oregon Symphony’s viola section.)

According to the program notes, Schoenberg had been frustrated whenever he heard the Brahms because pianists tended to dominate it way too much. So Schoenberg got rid of the piano and distributed its part to the orchestra. The effect in this performance was stunning. The entire orchestra got into the action, and sometimes when the sound grew into a forte, it reminded me of a full-throated organ. Conducting from memory, Märkl drew a full palate of colors from the ensemble. The last movement evoked a rhapsodic and lively Hungarian dance with principal flutist Martha Long delivering a perpetual, flowing line of rapid notes that made me wonder when she was going to breathe. Cheers from all corners of the hall rang out at the conclusion with Märkl acknowledging the amazing contributions of individual players and sections of the orchestra.