Hartford Symphony, Hartford, CT
January 20-22, 2017
by Michael J. Moran
Beethoven’s thorny “Grosse Fuge” would hardly strike the
average classical concertgoer as a likely concert opener, but in the polished,
intense performance by the strings of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra under
their frequent guest conductor Joel Smirnoff, it proved a surprisingly engaging
choice. A former violinist in the Juilliard String Quartet, Smirnoff
highlighted the lusher quality of this arrangement over the more rugged sound
of the original version for string quartet.
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| Gilles Vonsatte |
The full orchestra next joined Swiss-born American pianist
Gilles Vonsattel in a dazzling rendition of Ravel’s Concerto in G. In a video
posted on the HSO website, Vonsattel notes that despite its strong
“jazz-inflected elements,” the “incredible sonic refinement” and “immaculate
perfection” of the music were “the total opposite of improvisation, the
language of jazz.” While writing the concerto in 1929-1931, Ravel said he
wanted it to “be lighthearted and brilliant, and not aim for profundity or
dramatic effects.”
Vonsattel dispatched the lively first movement, which
includes a ravishing harp cadenza, with dexterity and flair, brought flowing
grace to the sublime “Adagio,” and made the closing “Presto” an exuberant romp,
in which trombone slides and muted trumpets evoked the composer’s friend George
Gershwin. Conductor and orchestra,
especially the large percussion section, provided animated support.
A dramatic account of Schubert’s monumental ninth symphony
brought the program to a majestic close. Nicknamed “The Great C Major,” to
distinguish it from the composer’s shorter sixth symphony, in the same key, the
score was discovered ten years after Schubert’s death by his admirer and fellow
composer Robert Schumann. From the warm opening theme, through the somber
“Andante,” the rollicking “Scherzo,” and the triumphant “Finale,” Smirnoff and
his musicians reveled in the flexible rhythms of this massive almost-hour-long
symphony.
The entertainingly hyperactive conductor kept the audience
riveted to the stage all evening. At one point in the evening, the pianist
stressed the importance of building the next generation of classical music
lovers. “If you get them young enough and in the right circumstances, it’s
really not that difficult” to interest young people.
