Pittsburgh Symphony 9/11 Concert in Berlin [音楽時評]
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra led by Manfred Honeck が，European tour の締めくくりを, Berlin Festival の最終日をｋざる形で，好評のうちに終えたそうです．
プログラムは，前後半に分かれて，
Wolfgang Rihm's "Lichtes Spiel" Violin solo: Mutter
Felix Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto Violin solo: Mutter
※※※※※※※※
Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 5
ということです．
いつもは派手なドレスでステージに上がる，Anne Sophie Mutter が，黒のドレスで現れ，Rihm の優しく柔らかな曲，そして余りにも優美なMendelssohn を弾き終えて，有名な the Air from Johann Sebastian Bach`s Orchestral Suite No. 3 をアンコールに弾いて，9.11への弔慰をあらわしたそうです．
後半のマーラーの交響曲第5番は,その第1楽章が1番で描いた巨人への葬送行進曲として知られていますし，切々と優美に弦楽器で奏される its fourth – the "Adagietto" – is often used at commemorative occasions. として有名です．
そして，この夜のマーラー第5番が，オーケストラのEuropean tour を通じて最高の出来だったとreview されていました．
New York Phil とは違った意味で，Pittsburgh Symphony もMemorial Concert として記憶されることでしょう．
Pittsburgh Symphony cheered at 9/11 concert in Berlin
About the writer
Mark Kanny is the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review's classical music critic
Manfred Honeck and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra were received with great enthusiasm on Sunday evening at the Philharmonie concert hall in Berlin – the 12th and final concert of their European tour. The musicians return home Monday.
The second half of the concert, Gustav Mahler`s Symphony No. 5, was streamed with video live on the internet, a first for the symphony. The performance was dedicated to the victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks. Its first movement is a funeral march and its fourth – the "Adagietto" – is often used at commemorative occasions.
"The concert was great. Because of the occasion and the hall being so good this was probably the best Mahler Five of the tour," said principal trumpet George Vosburgh.
Honeck reported that violin soloist Anne-Sophie Mutter had dedicated her encore at the end of the first half of the concert (which was not streamed) – the Air from Johann Sebastian Bach`s Orchestral Suite No. 3 – to the victims of 9/11.
"That was really something special," said the conductor.
Mutter usually performs in dresses of glamorous fabrics and striking colors, but Honeck noted that Sunday night she was attired entirely in black.
"Many things came together today," he said.
Sunday afternoon two ensembles of Pittsburgh Symphony musicians played at a 9/11 memorial at Berlin`s City Hall. A string quartet of Mark Huggins, Christopher Wu, Randolph Kelly and Anne Martindale Williams performed Samuel Barber`s "Adagio for Strings" in its original version. Brass players Charles Lirette, Chad Winkler, James Nova and Murray Crewe closed the event with Paul Hindemith`s "Morgenmusik."
The webcast of the Mahler Symphony had excellent sound and camerawork. The interpretation was similar to ones I heard at Heinz Hall in May, despite some passages being slower and others faster. The performance was highly nuanced, often with an emotional weight that fit this occasion.
The solo playing was filled with personality. Mahler`s prominent parts for principal horn and trumpet were thrillingly played by William Caballero and Vosburgh. It is also true that the entire brass section played superbly. But for that matter, so did the winds, both individually and collectively.
New principal players Lorna McGhee, flute, and Edward Stephan, timpani, didn`t merely fit in beautifully, though that`s no mean accomplishment. They also played with artistic individuality.
After a couple of minutes of strong applause and cheering at the end of the Mahler, and many bows for the orchestra, Honeck led two encores. Johann Strauss Jr.`s "The Dragonfly" was surpassingly light after powerhouse Mahler, but rose to an imperious climax in the middle. The final waltz from "Der Rosenkavalier" Suite was a romp that set off more audience cheering.
At the conclusion of the concert Honeck walked into the orchestra to bring retiring violist Isaias Zelkowicz to the front of the staged, where he hugged him. Sunday was his last concert as a member of the orchestra, which stood to salute him.
Vosburgh called the three-week tour a huge success but not surprisingly said he was eager to come home.
"This was a long tour and well spaced out. Because of the repertoire it`s been a lot of work," he said. "The Pittsburgh Symphony is still riding high."
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