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The Associated Press, October 4, 2007 |
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Beethoven: 9. Symphony,
Carnegie Hall, 3 October 2007
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Star-studded Lucerne Festival Orchestra makes US debut with Robertson as
sub for ailing maestro
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NEW YORK: Sometimes, the best
laid plans go astray. |
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Conductor Claudio Abbado was to have brought the
Swiss orchestra he helped found four years ago to Carnegie Hall for the
ensemble's U.S. premiere.
But last month, health problems forced the 74-year-old Italian maestro to
cancel his schedule through October, including Wednesday night's gala
opening of Carnegie's 117th season.
Abbado, who had stomach cancer surgery seven years ago, did not specify his
latest illness but said he hoped to return to conducting in November.
Carnegie's show went on Wednesday with American conductor David Robertson at
the helm of the Lucerne Festival Orchestra.
It is not the first time Robertson subbed at Carnegie for an ailing
conductor. In February 2002, he led the Saint Louis Symphony with only 30
minutes of rehearsal to fill in for its music director, Hans Vonk. A year
after that triumphant appearance, he was named Vonk's successor.
Robertson rose to the occasion again — this time leading the star-studded
Lucerne orchestra in stunning performances of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony and
Fourth Piano Concerto with soloist Murray Perahia.
One could speculate that this might have been the way the deaf composer
would have wanted to hear these masterpieces — filled with contrasts of
precipitously powerful punches after suddenly whispered sections; stretched
out tempos followed by manic meters that bordered on being maniacal.
Afterall, Beethoven was known as the composer who grabbed fate by the
throat.
But as the fast passages galloped by, the 49-year-old Robertson maintained
control and avoided wandering into excess. Exuding confidence and elegance
with his sweeping gestures, erect posture and pirouettes on the podium,
Robertson brought an exciting sense of newness to works that have been
performed many times. For instance, during the first hushed appearance of
the "Ode to Joy," the basses stood out over the usually dominant cellos,
providing an unusual balance.
Perahia, who has been studying the original versions of Beethoven's piano
sonatas, also turned in an energized account of the concerto. The
60-year-old American pianist's graceful yet passionate playing showed no
signs of the hand injury that twice disrupted his career. Some of his
accented entrances were so electric that they jolted people out of their
seats.
Solo singers Reinhard Hagen, Jonas Kaufmann, Anna Larsson and Melanie
Diener also gave strong performances in the symphony, as did the Westminster
Symphonic Choir.
The orchestra musicians, who rocked and rolled with their instruments like
boats tossing in a stirring sea of sound, had no trouble keeping up with
Robertson.
The ensemble, made up of the youthful Mahler Chamber Orchestra and leading
veteran European musicians such as violinist Kolja Blacher and cellist
Clemens Hagen, meets in August and performs at the two-week summer Lucerne
Festival. In its first performances outside Switzerland, it went to Rome in
2005, Tokyo in 2006 and the BBC Proms in England two months ago, all under
the baton of Abbado.
Abbado last appeared at Carnegie in 2001, leading the Berlin Philharmonic in
an emotional opening-night concert three weeks after 9/11 and 1 1/2 weeks
after the death of violinist Isaac Stern, Carnegie Hall's longtime
president.
The best laid plans may have gone astray this year because of Abbado's
illness. But Robertson was the right pinch hitter, and the sell-out audience
rewarded him with a seven-minute standing ovation through five rounds of
bows. |
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