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Toronto Comes to Montreal Montreal
Maison symphonique de Montréal, Place des Arts
04/08/2014 - & April 9 (Ottawa), 11, 12 (Toronto), 2014
Vivian Fung: Aqua
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 17 in G Major, K. 453
Richard Strauss: Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40
Richard Goode (Piano), Jonathan Crow (Violin)
Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Peter Oundjian (Conductor)
R. Goode (© Steve Riskind)
It has long been a tradition for the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) to visit Montreal, and recently it has become an annual event. Their concert here in November, 2012, was a great success; Tuesday night’s was equally thrilling. It began with the Canadian premiere of Aqua (2012), a six-minute work for large orchestra by Canadian composer Vivian Fung (b. 1975). Inspired by the undulating facade of Chicago’s 82-story Aqua Tower, the refreshingly contemporary work—refreshing because it relies less on appropriating past influences than on pushing musical boundaries—runs the gamut of human emotions. It features cascading crescendos, a blistering climax and a shimmering denouement. The intensity of the TSO’s performance left one breathless.
The now almost legendary Richard Goode (sometimes referred to as a “pianist’s pianist”) then joined the orchestra for Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 17. He played with grace, refinement and flawless technique. Except for the lovingly-played main theme in the second movement, however, the performance was mainly uninspired and dull. The notes lacked individual voices and personality—the antithesis of the poetic, sincere playing of, say, Murray Perahia. There were some playful moments in the outer movements, but the racing tempos and lack of dynamic expression diminished their warmth and magic. If he’s not careful, Goode may be headed down the road taken by Radu Lupu, who is now eviscerating all passion and life from his performances.
The evening’s highlight was a tight, intense 45-minute rendition of Richard Strauss’s 1898 tone poem Ein Heldenleben. Individual sections of the TSO played seamlessly with one voice—the upper strings sang with brilliance, the lower strings (especially the double basses) maintained a solid grounding, the horns (nine of them!) shimmered, the remaining brass played smoothly and confidently, and the woodwinds were always sharply focussed, especially in Part 2 (“The Hero’s Adversaries”), where Strauss pokes fun at his critics. A special treat was hearing the marvellous solo playing by concertmaster Jonathan Crow (formerly co-concertmaster with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal). His sensitivity and agile technique are outstanding. TSO conductor Peter Oundjian pushed dynamics to their limits. From the blistering opening to the sublime ending, Oundjian, despite a few ragged entries, wrought the finest playing possible from the members of this wonderful orchestra. They will certainly be welcomed back next season.
Earl Arthur Love
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