May 9th, 2013: Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4

This was a thoroughly enjoyable concert of fantastic repertoire, led by the Seattle Symphony Conductor Laureate Gerard Schwarz. It is the first of a four concert series this year called "Russian Spectacular" taking place on Thursday and Friday across two weeks, all conducted by Schwarz.

The concert opened with Tchaikovsky's Suite No. 4 in G major, "Mozartiana." Following that was Mozart's exquisite 23rd piano concerto, featuring Vladimir Feltsman as soloist, and then the second half consisted of Tchaikovsky's epic 4th symphony.

The hall was not very well filled unfortunately, which surprised me. However, the dress code was again on the better side, probably due to all the traditional Schwarz affectionados who were no doubt in attendance.

The orchestra played fine throughout the Tchaikovsky suite. Schwarz commanded a stern grip over the players, but it was clear that they had gone through it once at most in rehearsal. They did a superb job of faking a well rehearsed performance, but of course not superb enough to completely mask the reality. Demarre McGill's flute solos in the piece were impeccable though, more so even than those of concertmaster Alexander Velinzon, who admittedly had a very difficult part to play. 

The fast passages in the last movement that alternate speedily between first and second violins were by no means smooth in terms of ensemble, and often during difficult passages one could see the unsettled nervousness of the orchestra, focusing more on playing the right notes at the right time than anything else. The prayer movement was extremely beautifully played though, and as the muted strings soared through Tchaikovsky's rendition of Mozart's heavenly music, the emotion was overwhelming. However, the most obvious example of the lack of rehearsal took place at the end of that movement. It ends very quietly with the first violins holding very high notes for a long time, and their bows were out of sync, and Velinzon kept looking at Schwarz and re-arranging where he was in his bow, trying to predict when Schwarz will cut off the last note so that he could finish at the tip.

This didn't bother me in the slightest, because really, what kind of orchestra would spend a lot of time in rehearsal on a Tchaikovsky suite when you've got a Mozart piano concerto and a Tchaikovsky symphony to prepare as well? I had no doubt they'd be much more solid in the next two works.

After a brief pause for stage rearrangement, Vladimir Feltsman graced the stage, followed by Schwarz. The former took his seat at the piano, the latter his stance on the podium. The music of heaven commenced at the downbeat given by the maestro. Mozart's 23rd piano concerto, along with all his other late piano concertos, sit at the very top of all human artistic achievements. And difficult as they are for an orchestra to perform at a high level, we were in for a treat this evening. The subtlety of the phrasing in the strings was the first thing that stood out to me as exceptional during the orchestral introduction. The tone was beautiful and unified, and the phrasing impeccable, serving to deliver the music effortlessly to the listeners ear. This was no mere succession of notes that they were playing. They had connected the dots at a very deep level of understanding. Adding to this was the sublime wind section, who rounded out the ensemble with gorgeous, seemingly effortless playing. Demarre McGill, as usual, brought a golden touch to the sound with his immaculate and superb flute playing which soared angelically over the orchestra.

Then suddenly, during the orchestral introduction, Feltsman began playing keys on the piano. He was playing harmonies along with the orchestra. I was very surprised, but it was actually kind of interesting. At first I thought that maybe he wanted to warm up to the feel of the piano before his solos began, but he continued to do that during the orchestral tuttis throughout the piece. It looked as if he wanted to be as connected to the music as possible, and stay completely plugged into the ensemble.

When his first solo began, his mastery was immediately self-evident. This was the first great pianist we have seen, and the sound was distinctly different than those we have heard before. His playing was completely natural and refined at the same time. It was extremely enjoyable to see him and hear him play. Additionally, there were never any togetherness issues between him and the orchestra. In fact, they were so absent that I didn't even notice it until just now as I think back on it.

The second movement was astounding. Feltsman began at a slow tempo, and did everything I could have possibly hoped for in a performance of this other-wordly movement. It was beyond description. His execution of the opening piano solo was enchanting, and the entrance of the orchestra under Schwarz's masterful leadership was such that I was held completely transfixed, scarcely able to breathe. This first orchestral passage of the second movement is some of the most beautiful music ever written, and as it soared out from the stage I felt ascended. I felt in the hands of masters. Feltsman outlined the divine harmonies on the lower end of the piano as the orchestra descended chromatically, even further clarifying the incomprehensible genius of the composition.

The entire second movement continued as such, executed masterfully by both soloist and orchestra. It was an experience I won't soon forget. As soon as the second movement ended, Feltsman launched almost instantly into the brisk final movement, again displaying his crisp, playful side in a wonderful performance. The concerto was over all too soon, and Feltsman got a well-deserved standing ovation. I personally didn't stand up because of a few technical blips and missed notes in his playing, but in retrospect I should have.

During intermission we wandered out to the lobby balcony and bumped into some friends of mine that I had spotted in the audience before the concert began. We chatted with them until most of the audience had already returned to their seats, and then we made our way back to ours. The stage was jam packed with musicians, a full forces ensemble ready to take off with Tchaikovsky's 4th symphony. There was a bustling energy on the stage which gave me a really good feeling about the performance to come.

Gerard Schwarz returned to the podium to enthusiastic applause, and then began the symphony. The brass introduction was taken on the slower side. Slow and powerful. The fateful call of the horns was clear and precise, and as the line descended and was joined by the lower brass and the trumpets, the effect was chilling. I was pinned to my chair. Throughout the first movement I was really amazed by the level of the playing. This was yet another example of the Seattle Symphony's ability to play at a world class level. The first movement of this symphony is perhaps the piece I am most familiar with out of all the concerts we've attended so far this year. I've played it twice in orchestras, listened to it over a hundred times, and even learned a good chunk of it on the piano at one point. My desires for what it can be were set by Herbert von Karajan and the Vienna Philharmonic. And in last night's concert I found nothing wanting; nothing at all. I sat back and enjoyed the roller coaster ride of that incredibly dramatic and beautiful movement, absolutely thrilled by the intense presence and quality of the performance. The development section in particular was incredible; the brass deafening, the strings like wildfire. From beginning to end we were presented with a masterful execution of the movement, which ended with such a cataclysm of drama that one could sense the audience's burning desire to clap. But impressively they did not do so.

The second movement was gorgeous. Ben Hausmann's oboe solo at the beginning did exactly what Tchaikovsky intended, summoning feelings of nostalgia and homesickness. The strings were like a warm velvet bed throughout, supporting the various wind solos, providing a beautiful oasis as a reprieve from the fiery drama of the first movement.

Musically, the third and fourth movements are not exactly a revelation of any kind. The third is acoustically intriguing in its use of all string pizzicato, but I haven't found much else very memorable in it. And the fourth is musically hollow, riding entirely on its use of loud percussion and fast string runs. The symbol crashes were deafening, and the strings were again like wildfire as they raced through the blazing music. It was certainly entertaining, if a bit too loud sometimes. After the final crash the audience came to their feet again, this time us included. This was a really amazing, first-tier performance of Tchaikovsky's symphony. It's the performances like these that keep us coming back.

Tonight we again hear Vladimir Feltsman performing Mozart's 17th piano concerto, with Tchaikovsky's 5th symphony occupying the second half. The program begins with Mozart's Symphony No. 35.

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