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SF Symphony + Perlman = less than thrilling
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There are a lot of very conservative programs on this year's San Francisco Symphony schedule, more than I can ever recall in fact. Last weeks concerts overcame this with an interesting contemporary piece by Brett Dean, some fantastic conducting by David Robertson, a lively appearance by soloist Yefim Bronfman and great playing from the orchestra. Tonight didn't have any of those benefits or advantages and to put it plainly, I found the concert tedious.
Itzhak Perlman made his annual visit as soloist and guest conductor. A few years ago I attended another of these visits and left with the impression that having the soloist also conduct is a bad idea. But I decided to give it another shot. After tonight, I remain firm in my opinion, but maybe Davies is just too big a house for this type of performance. In a more intimate hall it may have worked better.
The program began with Bach's Violin Concerto No. 2, featuring Perlman in the roles outlined above, a harpsichord, and twenty-some odd strings. Perlman's playing never really excelled and he didn't really stand out from the orchestra- instead, it seemed like a performance of Bach in its most rote, perfunctory form.
After this, more strings came out t perform Elgar's Introduction and Allegro for String Quartet and String Orchestra. The Symphony hasn't performed this work since 1930 and it has some interesting elements, including an engaging fugue, and I liked the piece though its placement on the program lent it the air of a novelty rather than something more serious. It proved to be the highlight of the night from where I sat.
After intermission came Tchaikovsky's Sixth Symphony, Pathetique. Let me say that the audience appeared to love this, gave the orchestra and Perlman a standing ovation and the orchestra applauded Perlman vigorously as well. What I heard a total mess of hasty, fast tempos, mushy horns, an unfocused string section, bombast from the percussion and some very nice solos from Carey Bell and Stephen Paulson.
The entire month features guest conductors, and I'm hoping things pick up in the next couple of weeks with Osmo Vanska's and Seymon Bychkov's arrival.
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