So it has been two weeks since I last posted but I will share about three performances I have seen in that time. The first was Robert Levin conducting the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Levin is a pianist, theorist, and scholar who is one of the world's leading experts in Beethoven and the Viennese classics. I have used his editions of Mozart sonatas and learned a lot about him so it was really great to finally see him live. The program consisted of a Mozart Divertimento, Beethoven 3rd Piano Concerto, and Schubert's 3rd symphony, and this orchestra is particularly gifted for pieces of this era. Levin is a pianist and scholar first so his conducting was a bit awkward and silly looking but the orchestra played well with him and these pieces were not originally conducted anyway so it isn't even necessary to have a conductor in the way that larger works from the 20th century need it. Their Mozart playing is exquisite and well balanced with good taste and a wide range of expression. Each phrase was a gem and they all fit together so well. The slow movement was especially beautiful in its lyricism and serenity. The next piece on the program was the Beethoven piano concerto with Levin playing and conducting. The piano was in the middle of the orchestra and he sat facing the audience so he could be more a part of the ensemble. Even though we couldn't see his hands like is now expected, this is the way Beethoven's ensembles probably would have sat so that the pianist has a close relationship with the whole group. During the orchestra's opening, Levin conducted from his seat but didn't use any big gestures as he was also playing along with one hand on the piano. His solo playing was quite dramatic and explosive with beautiful singing lines and lots of rapid passage work. This playing is unlike the refined work of most soloists today who seek perfection and clarity; it is probably more along the lines of Beethoven's playing which was more about the passion and expression than getting every single note. The amazing part came when Levin improvised the entire cadenza, something that would have been common in the time but is very rare to hear nowadays. It was full of fire and passion and his creativity in using the themes was fresh and exciting. I thoroughly enjoyed his interpretations of all the pieces on the program and felt that he breathed new life into pieces that can be thought of as old and stuck in a particular interpretation. Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert have been part of the standard canon for so long that they can be shoved in a box and played without the enthusiasm that they deserve.
Since I am in Britain I have been wanting to see a proper theatrical production and last week I saw A Day in the Death of Joe Egg at the Citizens Theatre. Written by Peter Nichols in 1967, the play was originally rejected from West End playhouses in London and received its first premier in Glasgow in the same theatre I saw it. After its success here it did get produced on West End and Broadway and has won many awards. The play is about a couple whose ten year old daughter, Joe, has been confined to a wheel chair her whole life and is basically a vegetable who cannot talk or respond to anything and experiences epileptic seizures. Over the course of one day we get to see their general attitude about the child and how things change that evening when they have some friends over. Though it is a sad situation the play is quite humorous and honest about what it is like for parents to live with a child who cannot communicate. The mother is hopeful that there will be improvements and holds on to the possibility of a better life for the girl. The father is running out of patience with both the daughter and his wife and towards the end there is a breaking point for him. Each of them spends a good deal of time talking to the audience about their experience and is often more honest to the spectators than to each other. In the second act we see the girls grandmother who often takes care of her and some friends of the parents who come over to help lighten the mood. They all take turns talking to the audience: one wants to help by sending to girl to a special school, one is freaked out by her and brags about her perfect children. It is sad to see how such a medical condition takes a toll on a family and on individuals but it is interesting to see the way people handle it. I could sympathize with the characters but really don't know how I would actually feel if I were put into that situation. The father is very good with comic relief, joking about Joe as his main coping mechanism. I really liked the production and was very drawn into the characters and their stories. It definitely is a play that makes you think about life and feel compassion for individuals living in tough situations. The interaction with the audience was quite fun and there were even a few moments where the actors were actually laughing and almost broke character. I was especially impressed with the girl who played Joe because she had to act immobile and unresponsive in a wheelchair as well as have seizures; she was very believable.
Finally for this post, is another concert I saw of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra in the large Royal Concert Hall. The program began with Mendelssohn's Hebrides Overture which he sketched on his travels in the Outer Hebrides here in Scotland. I have not visited this area yet but will try to before I leave if it is not too cold. These isles and mountainous areas are beautiful and lush with cliffs and mysterious caves. Though I only know it from pictures the music does a great job describing this landscape with mystery and awe. The next piece on the program was Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto with soloist Vadim Gluzman. This is one of the most famous concertos in the repertoire and was my first tim hearing the whole thing. The first movement has great tunes, the second is lush and beautiful, and the third is energetic. The soloist for this was one of the best I have ever seen and I could not focus on anything but him for the whole piece, which I guess is the point. His technique was flawless and the sound flowed effortless out of the instrument. He moved in appropriate ways and his face displayed the emotions that music was giving. The violin he was playing was a 17th century Stradivarius that has been played by some of the best players in history and is the same instrument that premiered the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto, among others. This kind of history is unique and just being in the presence of this instrument was awe-inspring. Its sound projected clearly over the orchestra with rich colors and vibrancy even in the soft passages. I was impressed with the whole effect of the entire work. The final piece on the program was Dvorak's 6th Symphony, a piece that is very rarely played and when I listened to it, I wondered why. The first movement has great melodies with lots of swells to excitement and back to calmness. The second movement is soothing and lyrical and develops a lot of great material. The third was fast and furious and flowed into a grand finale with all of the contrasts and excitement you expect. It sounded like typical Dvorak and was a great display of the orchestra's talents. The conductor, Thomas Hanus, gave so much of himself in the performance it was quite impressive and fun to watch. Never distracting, but always passionate with clear expression, he gave the orchestra a lot to go on. I thoroughly enjoyed the entire concert.
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