Beethoven
Violin Concerto in D, Op.61
Adams
Harmonielehre
Midori (violin)
New York Philharmonic
Alan Gilbert
Reviewed by: Gene Gaudette
Reviewed: 12 November, 2010
Venue: Stern Auditorium, Carnegie Hall, New York City
Seven years ago, the New York Philharmonic came very close to merging its operations with Carnegie Hall – and thus striking a huge blow to Lincoln Center. There has long been speculation about what would have happened (not to mention some outlandish theories about what was going on behind the scenes), but one thing is certain: the move would have been to the enormous benefit of the Philharmonic. In Carnegie Hall, the orchestra’s sound – particularly that of the violins and brass – takes on a warmer character while retaining its signature brilliance, and the balances from section to section are far more even than in Avery Fisher, where they tend to change radically depending on where one is seated.
It’s hard to believe that Midori has been a fixture on the New York concert scene for nearly thirty years, following a spectacular debut as a substitute soloist with the Philharmonic in 1982. She’s also a major mover and shaker, running a philanthropic organization for young performers. So it’s more the pity that her performance of Beethoven’s Violin Concerto so rubbed me the wrong way. Her sound was small and overly bright, and her articulation was a shade too pretty throughout. Suave, elegant playing will only get one so far in this concerto; many stretches of the first movement and finale demand more assertive playing, and it never materialized. The first movement was bland overall and taken at a broad tempo. (What I wouldn’t give to hear more soloists and conductors take this opening movement at a faster, gallant pace that still maintains the Allegro ma non troppo marking.) Midori tended to rush quasi-grupetto sixteenth-note figures, and the slowed tempos at the end of key phrases added no drama – in fact, they detracted from the movement’s continuity. The ultra-slow tempo following the cadenza came off as an exercise in lethargy as opposed to musical poetry. The second movement was taken at a slightly faster tempo than usual. Alan Gilbert surprised when he elicited unexpected uncharacteristically sunny playing from the orchestra; by comparison, Midori sounded glib. The finale was taken at a brisk clip, and again the contrast between the spirited playing of the orchestra and Midori’s penchant to exaggerate the length of third beats and to push the tempo didn’t work. Gilbert, for his part, did a solid job of reining in dynamics so as not to swamp the soloist, but overall this was a very frustrating listening experience.
As with the Philharmonic’s late-autumn appearance at Carnegie Hall last year (also following a tour), Gilbert and the Philharmonic played an encore in homage to Leonard Bernstein, who died twenty years ago to the day: a restrained, atmospheric performance of ‘Lonely Town’ from “On the Town”.