Hartford Symphony, Hartford, CT
November 10–12, 2017
by Michael J. Moran
To open the second “Masterworks Series” program of the HSO’s
74th season, Music Director Carolyn Kuan selected Berlioz’s lively “Corsair”
Overture, conceived in 1831 but not definitively completed until 1852. The
orchestra gave it a fiery rendition, strings, winds, and brass all contributing
mightily to the excitement.
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| Leonid Sigal |
The concert continued with the last and what is considered
the greatest of Mozart’s five violin concertos, all written in 1775 when he was
19 years old. Nicknamed the “Turkish” concerto for an exotic-sounding interlude
in the finale, it featured as soloist HSO concertmaster Leonid Sigal, whose
silken tone highlighted the classical elegance of the piece. He and a
reduced-size orchestra took all three movements at a leisurely pace, giving the
opening “Allegro aperto” an expansive grace, the “Adagio” a timeless calm, and
the closing “Rondo” the quiet poise of the “minuet tempo” that Mozart called for.
Intermission was followed by a dramatic account of Debussy’s
“La Mer,” or “three symphonic sketches” about the sea, which he wrote between
1903 and 1905, inspired by his lifelong fascination with the ocean. The
masterful balance Kuan achieved among all sections of the ensemble allowed many
details of colorful orchestration to be heard, from the glistening glockenspiel
to two sweeping harps and three stentorian trombones. Tension never slackened,
and the volatility of the waves and the wind were vividly portrayed.
Publicity for this program of three concerts had promised a
“surprise encore selection to be announced.” This turned out to be Ravel’s
“Alborada del Gracioso,” or “Morning Song of the Jester,” whose slow middle
section, Kuan noted in droll introductory comments, depicts lovers reluctantly
awakening to another day. The brilliant HSO performance evoked the flair of
Berlioz, the refinement of Mozart, and the panache of Debussy.
Besides showcasing her concertmaster when she could easily
have hired a guest soloist, another example of the personal touch that endears
Kuan to HSO audiences was her dedication of these Veterans Day weekend concerts
to local veterans and her invitation for all veterans present to stand and be
acknowledged. This new American maestra is indeed a class act.
