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Enescu and Beethoven by Mehta Bucharest
Grand Palace Hall
09/12/2005 -
Enescu : "Vox Maris" op. 31
Beethoven : Symphony no. 9 in D minor op. 125
Enescu - Marius Brenciu (tenor)
Beethoven - Roxana Briban (soprano), Aura Twarowska (alto), Marius Brenciu (tenor), Sorin Coliban (bass),
Chorus of the Romanian Radio Society (chorus master Dan Mihai Goia)
Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Zubin Mehta (conductor)
The second night of the presence of Zubin Mehta in Bucharest brought us an interesting encounter with Enescu's symphonic poem "Vox Maris" op. 31 in the long awaited symbiosis of this renowned orchestra – and its celebrated conductor. Practically Mehta offerred - I must say - a first ideatic approach, starting to drill in the very depths of the score. I am certain the maestro is well into the process of cristalisation of his vision on this work, discovering its hidden secrets and finalizing the concept from the altitude of his artistic authority. I am convinced that he will maintain this opus in his repertory for the years to come.
Despite of a more refrained playing of the strings (in comparison with the Mozart-Mahler concert), the Israel Philharmonic absorbed the conductor’s impulses of beethovenian force in the Ninth Symphony op. 125 and played ever more committed toward the explosive final in Presto. The Chorus of the Romanian Radio Society (coached by Dan Mihai Goia) was, as usual, at a high performing level all over the evening. I have not been seduced by the vocalists though: Sorin Coliban (rather careless and unsure in sound), Marius Brenciu (with some rigid singing in both “Ode to Joy” and “Vox Maris"), Roxana Briban (usually charming timbrality loaded with inestimable carats, but the high notes have not floated for her this time). The alto voice was the experienced Aura Twarowska.
Costin Popa
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