Once in a while, just once in a while, Singapore (whose musical scene has yet to fully mature) is given the rare opportunity to play host to a distinguished orchestra. As such, great expectations abounded with the arrival of the New York Philharmonic, sponsored by Credit-Suisse on their Asian Horizons Tour, as they played to a packed and attentive audience on both nights. (Their first and only previous performance in Singapore was in 2002.)
All eyes were on the recently appointed Music Director Alan Gilbert, as he joins the illustrious ranks of the giants Mahler, Bernstein and many others of helming this orchestra. Judging by the standing ovations and numerous curtain calls on both nights, it was clear that the audience's expectations were more than adequately met. For me, the two nights were an odd mish-mash of the sublime and the banal, the meticulous and mechanical.
The orchestral exposition of Brahms's Violin Concerto in D major was promising. Seldom have I heard the syncopated passages played with such urgency, nor the major and minor mode passages so brilliantly contrasted. The pacing of momentum leading up the entry of the soloist was carefully planned and well executed. It is clear that this is a familiar work to both the orchestra and conductor.
From that point forth, the rest of the Brahms concerto was unexceptional. While there can be no doubt that Frank Zimmerman possesses astounding technique and great passion, especially evident in the cadenzas of the first and third movements, his sound was surprisingly small and lacked in intensity. The orchestra too correspondingly seemed to pull back in their sound production to match that of Zimmerman.
While the second movement left much to be desired in my opinion, with the principal oboist Wang Liang delivering a meticulous but cold solo, the third movement was a marked improvement. Despite some uncertain moments brought on by Zimmerman rushing slightly ahead of the orchestra, the folk character of the movement was well portrayed by both soloist and orchestra. It was the most satisfying movement of the Brahms.
Zimmerman chose to play the third movement Andante from Bach's Sonata in A minor as his encore piece. The audience was spellbound throughout his performance; his idiosyncratic use of rubato at unusual parts of the Bach was a talking point during the interval.
Mahler's First Symphony in D major, on the other hand, was stupendous. Conducted from memory, it was evident that Alan Gilbert and the New York Philharmonic had a special affinity with Mahler's music, and oh boy, did it come through in their playing. The New York Phil is famed for their brass section, so it comes as no surprise that they were terrific and clearly in their forte with the Titan. The woodwinds were amazing, and the strings had a lushness that was hinted in the earlier Brahms. It was as if the orchestra had come alive in the Mahler under Gilbert's direction.
The orchestral palette achieved that night was sublime, as many of us concurred after the performance. Already we had the first inklings of it in the ethereal awakening of Mother Nature in the first movement; the violin harmonics and cuckoo chirps of the woodwinds were hauntingly beautiful. The off-stage trumpet fanfares were perfectly rendered.
After the delightful earthy Ländler of the second movement (one could almost imagine the stomping of peasants' feet in taverns drunk on ale) came the famous Funeral March of the third. Special mention must be made of the double-bass soloist, Eugene Levinson, whose opening solo started the round of 'Frère Jacques' with just the right amount of subdued foreboding. Along with its klezmerish interludes, this movement was macabre yet delivered with a touch of brevity.
There was an immediate launch without a break into the opening Schreckensfanfare of the fourth movement (the audience had an annoying propensity to clap between movements, something that unfortunately prevailed on both nights). Still, the effect was electrifying. Climaxes were calculated with just a touch of wild abandonment and passion. With the pent-up yearning and tension created by repeatedly thwarted resolutions, the triumphant return of the tonic was hugely satisfying, and a resounding apotheosis to the entire work. Tumultuous clapping ensued, with three-quarters of the entire concert hall giving a standing ovation. An amazing night it was at the Esplanade Concert Hall!
To end off the night, we had a solo encore of Intermezzo by Swedish composer Wilhelm Stenhammar, from his oratorio Sángen, where the full-bodied strings bestowed a warm benediction on us all. A stellar performance by the New York Philharmonic, and a night that many of us would fondly remember.
The second night of Beethoven's Piano Concerto No.4 in G major Op.58 and Beethoven's Seventh Symphony felt like a slight anti-climax after the Mahler of the previous night, and one wonders at the wisdom of programming Mahler the night before Beethoven.
Having heard the Polish pianist Emanuel Ax a number of times at the Barbican, it appears to me that his style has not changed much. His touch was still as impeccable, his brilliant runs delivered with a virtuosic flair that left one awed at his technical capabilities. From his rendering of the enharmonic passages in the first movement, it was clear that Emanuel Ax is an intuitive musician who possesses excellent harmonic understanding.
As A.B. Marx had suggested in his biography of Beethoven that the second movement be likened to Orpheus taming the Furies, a valiant attempt was made by Emanuel Ax to soothe the savage beasts. However, his musical phrasing tends towards the localized in this movement. I'm also not entirely convinced by his exaggerated musical accents at points of departure and arrival to demarcate the solo and tutti passages as well as for orchestral cues throughout all three movements.
Even so, the 'contention and co-operation' partnership between soloist and orchestra was commendable. It was only in the third movement where one sensed a slight dislocation; it seemed to me that Emanuel Ax's touch was a tad too metallic and mechanical for Alan Gilbert's rustic interpretation. Apart from that, it was a dramatic and technically competent rendition of the Beethoven, which the audience enjoyed tremendously.
Having attended Alan Gilbert's conducting masterclass the day before at the local music conservatory, I was highly impressed by his close attention to rhythm, orchestral timbre and his meticulous planning of dynamic climaxes. These came through in the performance of Beethoven's Seventh Symphony, where his control over the dynamic planning was astonishing. Again, we can see Alan Gilbert's emphasis on orchestral colours and the rhythmic precision of the orchestra hardly flagged throughout the course of all four movements. His placement of the basses in the middle of the stage provided the centre of gravity for the orchestra, which was very much welcome.
The Funeral March variations of the second movement was done particularly well; the flautist Robert Langevin had a gorgeous tone, clarinetist Mark Nuccio a delectable velvet, and the oboist Wang Liang fared better than the previous day with a warmer sound. The finale was a bundle of wild energy that exploded in the final climax, which led to clamorous clapping from the audience for an encore.
Perhaps, in light of the night's programme, it should come as no surprise that they performed Beethoven for the encore piece – Beethoven's Egmont Overture Op.84. Here, the New York Phil brought out the intriguing mix of the high and low styles in the Egmont with great aplomb.
It was a fantastic night, and would have had been even better had it not been for Mahler the night before. As such, the Beethoven was a slight let-down. No doubt, part of it can be attributed to the intensity of Mahler's writing. But the performance of the Mahler was so awe-inspiring that nothing could possibly trump it.
Over the two nights, Alan Gilbert was most earnest in his music-making. He does not care for overblown theatricals, nor does he pepper his music with languished rubatos. Here is a conductor who perseveres in conveying the meaning of the notes and the sculpting of nuances. You can tell that he's a conductor who prefers to stand with his orchestra, with him only taking his curtain calls at the podium a mere two times, and graciously sharing the accolades with his orchestra members. He is certainly a very nice and serious man, and this comes through in his music.
Still, one misses that certain 'zing' to his interpretation. I would have preferred more passion from the Beethoven, a bit more urgency, a little more wild abandonment to the climaxes which were carefully calculated. However, as the Mahler would bear testament to, the New York Philharmonic is set to grow in exponential leaps under the baton of Alan Gilbert.
While he may not have the magnetic charisma of his predecessors, the past two nights offers a glimpse of the potential that the New York Philharmonic may yet achieve. I'm looking forward to future performances as the New York Philharmonic and Alan Gilbert grow from strength to strength.
By Lynne Huang
The tour goes to Tokyo, Seoul, Hanoi, Singapore and Abu Dhabi.
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