The Oregon Symphony unleashed a stellar performance (September 30) with works by Mahler, Saint-Saëns, and Ravel, plus a world premiere by Gabriel Kahane. The audience heard top-tier music making from everyone on the stage, including young virtuoso violinist Benjamin Beilman, who, by the way, has dazzled Chamber Music Northwest audiences.
But the highlight of the evening was the orchestra’s playing of Mahler’s Symphony No. 1, which was spectacular from the first downbeat of Music Director David Danzmayr to the glorious finale. The huge palette of sonic colors from all sections of the orchestra – with extra kudos to the woodwinds, horns, and brass – made the performance absolutely top of the world.
In particular, the true pianissimos that Danzmayr and company were able execute were awe-inspiring. The sound decayed down to almost nothing and that made the ensuing crescendos – going into triple forte-land – all the more thrilling. And this happened not just once. It showed a mastery of control and communal thinking that is a hallmark of a great orchestra. The end effect is that even a jaded listener like me becomes so swept up in listening to the music making that it turns into a metaphysical-elevating experience. When the horn section stood up for the grand finale, it all just seemed like a natural extension of Danzmayr and Mahler and God-knows-what. A storm of applause and cheers followed the finale. Even my friends in the hall just couldn’t believe how terrific and inspiring it was.
It was a good thing that the featured soloist, violinist Benjamin Beilman, appeared before the Mahler. Beilman, age 33, delivered Saint-Saëns’ “Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso” with scintillating verve. He shaped each line exquisitely with impeccable articulation and intonation even when the tempo was in the fast lane, and you cannot believe how fast his fingers were flying across the strings of his Ysaÿe Guarneri del Gesù.
Beilman followed the Saint-Saëns with an incisive performance of Ravel’s Tzgane, the gypsy-inflected piece that features a devilishly tricky opening cadenza. Beilman played it with virtuosic intensity, contrasting full-bodied phrases with others that were delicate and wistful. After the orchestra joined in, he again made outrageously technical passages look easy peasy going faster and faster to the brilliant conclusion.
His performance generated enthusiastic, sustained applause, which brought him back to center stage several time. He responded with a lovely encore, the Largo from Bach’s Third Sonata for Solo Violin.
The concert opened with the world premiere of “Judith” by Gabriel Kahane, who is the orchestra’s Creative Chair. I was somewhat confused by the program notes that Kahane provided for this piece. He explained how it was based on a song that he had written years earlier that described fictional older woman looking back on her life, and the lyrics were quite wistful and melancholy. So, I was prepared for an odd, slightly sad number, but what Kahane uncorked was a delightfully lively opener with the woodwinds creating tunes that wandered around each other, trumpets that let out brief squeals and beboppy phrases, strings eliciting sonic shivers, a percussion section generating an array of sounds (including a cow bell (an almglocken nod to Mahler), and snippets of melody that would pop up here and there. The piece built to a crescendo and then suddenly stopped. It seemed that the lady who wanted “one last dance” really kicked up her heels.
I am still getting used to Danzmayr’s new arrangement of the orchestra with the horns on the left side, the cellos out of the front right side, the violas on the right and inside (next to the cellos), and some of the second violins spread into the center. It seems that the ensemble is making better use of the new acoustical setting – or maybe my ears are getting more comfortable with it.
Based on what I have heard at this concert and at previous Mahler concerts with Danzmayr and this orchestra, I’d have to say that Danzmayr and his charges are able to channel into the vision of this composer at a level that few others can do. Consequently, you get a life-enhancing experience that you’ll remember forever. So, the next time Danzmayr and OSO team up to play Mahler, be sure not to miss it.
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