I grew up with some of Pinchas Zukerman’s recordings with the English Chamber Orchestra made in the 1970’s-- they gave me an appreciation of schmaltz even in Baroque and Classical music that today many early music specialists condescend to. By now a legend with a silvery mane, Zukerman makes his almost-annual visit to Davies Symphony Hall this week.
In his later years, Zukerman seems to have toned down the schmaltz-factor in favor of no-nonsense brisk phrasing-- a less youthfully Romantic, more pragmatic approach. This works in the music of Mozart, which doesn’t need anything extra from the performer other than what is notated in the score. The two single-movement selections by Mozart-- the E major Adagio K. 261 and the Rondo in C major (often heard on flute) were refreshing-- short and sweet-- modest and understated yet still beautiful and satisfying-- great openers.
Hindemith’s Trauermusik was a black sheep on the program. It is music for mourning, beginning with a slow dirge and going through various emotions that go with loss: denial, sadness, anger, and finally acceptance. It is one of Hindemith’s most poignant pieces, not overly-wrought like many of his compositions-- an honest outpouring of grief composed overnight on the way to King George V’s funeral in 1936.
This music is foggy and enigmatic compared to the crystaline clarity of Mozart. The movements are very short-- each a fleeting feeling. There are lots of opportunities for the viola soloist to take time and stretch the phrases. In the final movement for example, the orchestra plays a church chorale, and between its verses, the viola plays heart-breaking soliloquies. Zukerman rushed through many of these special moments, resulting in a performance that felt rushed and incomplete. Generally fast tempos added to this feeling. It resulted in a bit of awkwardness at the end-- Zukerman had to wave his bow at the audience to indicate that the brief piece was really over. I don’t think he would have had to do that if he had taken the time to end the piece properly with the breadth of time that it deserves.
Mozart’s 3rd Violin Concerto begins with a quadruple-stop G major chord-- the best sounding, most resonant chord on the violin. But instead of letting his Guarneri ring out this great opening, Zukerman crunched it on a muffled up-bow whenever the chord occurred. The rest of the concerto again felt somewhat rushed. This isn’t to say that it wasn’t without moments of brilliance: an amazing first-movement cadenza, fast notes that are so clear that they tickle, and tenderness on climaxes that recall the wonderful Schmaltz of the old days. (See above)
The highlight of the program was Mozart’s Symphony No. 40. The musicians of the San Francisco Symphony gave Zukerman their full intensity. The Minuet was particularly fiery and the finale was gnarly (in the best sense). Nadya Tichman led with crisp confidence despite Zukerman’s baffling gestures as conductor.
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