Clarity of ensemble fostered by chamber music-like teamwork and strict volume control marked the performance of the New York String Orchestra lead by Jaimie Laredo this past Monday at Carnegie Hall.
Annually the New York String Orchestra Seminar, through an audition process is made up of 64 players from America and Canada who for 10 days get to rehearse with Laredo and veteran chamber musicians of the concert stage. The students' seminar culminates annually with two concerts over the last two weeks of December.
Barber's Capricorn Concerto opened with three soloists: flutist Tara Helen O'Connor, oboist Ariana Ghez and trumpeter David Washburn. Starting with this piece eased the young orchestra players into the performance as the music calls for the orchestra to primarily serve as accompaniment to the soloists as a soft string choir and in pizzicato passages.
The responsibility to carry the melody falls upon the three soloists, particularly the oboist. After 15 seconds of orchestra playing, the oboe starts in alone with its statement in the first movement and plays almost non-stop in the short second movement. Highlighting the brisk performance was L.A. Philharmonic principal oboe Ghez who handled her solos crisply, with silken finesse.
Brahms Double Concerto for violin and cello can be a tricky piece to perform because of the balances required: among the individual soloists and between the soloists and orchestra. In this case the soloists were cellist Paul Watkins and violinist Daniel Hope.
Brahms provides many opportunities where the two soloists, especially the cello could dominate the proceedings with virtuoso display. Instead Watkins and Hope approached the music with restrained rapport. Where their musical parts overlap, the two worked tightly to follow and finish each others phrases, which was on display in the closing moments of the finale. As in the Barber, the orchestra plays a support role. However in the Brahms Double Concerto, the orchestra gets to echo the soloists often with loud chords.
Current day performance practice of Beethoven symphonies often emphasizes fleet tempos and sharpness of attack. Laredo's interpretation was slower and emphasized string playing that was plush in texture. An audience member could often hear Beethoven's orchestration-- for example about a minute into the fourth movement the interplay between first violins, violas and second violins was illuminating. At other times the emphasis on structure robbed the music of its forward pulse.
However, after an entire concert of chamber-like balances and volume restraint, Laredo removed the reins off the orchestra at the very end. The symphony closed with crackling horns and sizzling strings as the music hurtled to its close.
Praise to the principal flute Adrienne Kantor for her graceful adornment in the slow movement of the Brahms Double Concerto and the rapid fluttering passage work in the finale of the Beethoven.
Comments