Haunting & Beautiful Orchestration of the Juilliard Orchestra

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Haunting & Beautiful Orchestration of the Juilliard Orchestra

Details: Parent Category: Film and the Arts; Category: Reviews; Published on Monday, 06 December 2021 17:38; Written by Jack Angstreich

At Alice Tully Hall on the evening of Monday, November 15th, I attended a rewarding concert given by the fine Juilliard Orchestra under the distinguished direction of a guest conductor, the eminent Antonio Pappano. The program opened memorably with the remarkable, rarely heard Ballade in A minor, Op.33, of the underrated 19th-century British composer—whose father was West African—Samuel-Coleridege-Taylor, which begins thrillingly before taking a more introspective—if exalted—turn followed by a highly dramatic interlude, succeeded by other compelling elaborations, and concluding on a triumphant note.

Nicholas Swensen then took the stage as the effective solo performer in a confident account of William Walton’s exceptional Viola Concerto, a work within the mainstream of musical modernism and that bears the influence of Paul Hindemith who premiered the piece as soloist. The initialAndante comodocontained numerous beautiful passages; the ensuingVivowas brisk, often breathless, while the Allegro served as a satisfying—indeed wonderful—and at times lyrical finale. The second half of the evening was devoted to an excellent rendition of Richard Strauss’s outstanding tone-poem,Ein Heldenleben,which achieved maybe its most glorious expression in the “Des Helden Gefährtin” section and concluded marvelously.

At the same venue and night the following week, I saw this ensemble in another splendid event, conducted by the celebrated American composer, John Adams, which opened with a well-executed reading of Three Movements, a characteristic opus by fellow minimalist, Steve Reich. The piece is somewhat austere—eschewing the lushness of many of the compositions of the parallel figure of Philip Glass—and is consistently propulsive even in the slower second movement. Notably, Reich was able to receive the audience’s acclaim in person.

Even better was Bela Bartok’s famous Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta, which begins with an eerie Andante tranquillo that grows in power before diminishing in intensity. More dramatic was theAllegrothat followed, although its inspiration in Hungarian and other regional folk music is not obvious, while theAdagiowas also uncanny in effect, but the amazingAllegro moltofinale was most exciting of all.

Before the final work in the program, Adams received the Columbia University Distinguished Conducting Award. The evening concluded magnificently with a lovely realization of the fabulous First Symphony of Jean Sibelius. The opening movement was grand and stirring, its ardent Romanticism starkly contrasting with the first two works in the concert, and was succeeded by a gorgeous Andante. The Scherzo was vibrant, with a more subdued Trio section, while the extraordinary Finale (quasi una fantasia) featured some of the most haunting passages. I hope to attend more performances by these accomplished musicians in the coming year.

Haunting & Beautiful Orchestration of the Juilliard Orchestra

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