Carlos Simon Four Black American Dances (European premiere); Stravinsky Petrushka (1947 version); Gershwin Piano Concerto in F major; Ravel La valse. Jean-Yves Thibaudet Piano, Boston Symphony Orchestra. Andris Nelsons conductor
This was a well-planned programme, centred around dance and jazz rhythms, as well as framing two American pieces in each half with two Diaghilev ballets, and it was well-suited to the BSO’s world-class talents. A completely full and very attentive hall, this time, but, like the Friday concert, the BSO left the stage without an encore. This was however a quite full and taxing programme, from the musicians’ perspective, so fair enough really.
The Carlos Simon piece was altogether a bit of a riot – various sorts of highly rhythmic infectious dances, with the amazingly proficient BSO percussion section very prominent. The composer was in the audience and received wild applause. It’s not profound music, but certainly great fun, and was just about the right length.
Petrushka of course is not great fun in the same way, though similarly based on dance rhythms. There was something not quite right about this performance, though I find it hard to pin down what it was. It goes without saying that the BSO played it wonderfully – spectacularly good trumpet playing and many beautiful woodwind solos. Perhaps it was something to do with Nelsons’ relatively slow tempi – there was something about it that lacked bite and needed a harder edge; it felt a little sugary, and at times my attention wandered. Some of the menace and panic in the work didn’t quite come across. What the slower tempi did reveal was lots of the inner voices in the orchestra you would not normally hear.
The Gershwin concerto I have heard live before but I don’t know it that well; it doesn’t really feature in my home listening choices. As far as I could tell, this was a very good performance indeed – utterly idiomatic, superlative playing by Thibaudet and the orchestra, and it kept my attention throughout, with both Thibaudet and Nelsons giving it lots of swing. The work is maybe a bit episodic, and in particular I found it difficult to work out what was going on in the first movement – but it’s all so enjoyable it didn’t seem to matter, and it has some great tunes! First trumpet and trombone were particularly good in their various solos
And finally, La Valse – I have hear performances with a more cataclysmic ending -but no matter; it was beautifully played and thoroughly enjoyable
It was great to hear the BSO twice in one weekend. I think it’s only the Cleveland Orchestra I’ve not heard live until now, over the years, among the great American orchestras………..
John's musical journey 