Finally. Some years ago (and I have to admit to not remembering exactly when) Semyon Bychkov was scheduled to come to Cleveland from his then-orchestral home in Buffalo, to conduct our orchestra. For whatever reason, that visit was canceled, so now, at last, here he is! The concert last Thursday evening was absolutely well worth the wait, in this reviewer’s opinion.
His technique varies: for the first piece (Ravel) he did not use a baton, although he did for the other two works. Perhaps that contributed to the extraordinary transparency of the familiar Le Tombeau de Couperin, written as a memorial to the Baroque composer François Couperin. Originally, it was a six-movement work for solo piano, but the composer later orchestrated four movements into this suite.
It’s quite familiar music, but seldom heard like this. The winds just floated—limpid and elegant—over the reduced strings in the opening Prélude. Forlane demonstrated the conductor’s fluidity with his hands: he seemed to be coaxing the lilting music out of the instruments facing him, rather than the traditional style of conducting. The Menuet leaned heavily on the harp, while the closing Rigaudon featured spirited and lyrical woodwind melodies. It was absolutely gorgeous, throughout.
A different sort of French music followed: Métaboles by Henri Dutilleux. This piece really ‘belongs’ to the Cleveland Orchestra, which commissioned it (at the behest of George Szell) for the 40th anniversary season of 1957-58. It took the composer some time to complete it, but again it was certainly a worthwhile venture, having remained in the repertoire since the first performance in 1965.
The five interconnected movements represent the ‘change’ of the title, moving from not just musical styles, but also from here to there within the orchestra. From the balcony, it was possible to ‘see’ the music wend its way around from instrument to instrument. Short sharp notes open the piece and before the somewhat clangorous ending, there are jazzy harmonics and chords accompanied by lots of other notes, interspersed with moments of tranquility. The ending segment began with the double bass, moved to percussion, then the brass and winds, celeste and harp before acceding to the remaining strings. It was a neat visual as well as aural treat.
Robert Schumann’s Symphony No. 2 in C major, Op. 61 was the sole work on the second half of the program, and was more than substantial enough to merit that placement. Mr. Bychkov led a fluid and lively interpretation that was also light and piquant. Again, it was the winds that stood out in the third movement, but the entire ensemble was involved in the brisk Allegro Molto Vivace finale. The depth of sound in this highly nuanced performance was greatly reminiscent of a pipe organ.
Welcome, Mr. Bychkov. Please don’t stay away so long next time!
Mitsuko Uchida returns this week for more Mozart, and the Celebrity Series continues the following week (April 24) with jazz trumpeterChris Botti. For complete details, visit the website: http://www.clevelandorchestra.com or call the ticket office at 216.231.1111.
From Cool Cleveland contributor Kelly Ferjutz, who writes: My most recently published book is Ardenwycke Unveiled (e-book and trade paper). Cerridwen has another contemporary romance from me, But Not For Love, currently available only as an e-book, but perhaps will be in print next year. I hope to soon get around to completing some of the 30+ incomplete books in my computer!By the way, Cerridwen has also accepted two of my short stories in their Scintillating Samples (complimentary reads) area: Song of the Swan and Unexpected Comfort. I love photography as well, as you can see here. Occasionally I teach writing workshops and sometimes do editing or ghostwriting on a free-lance basis. But over and above everything else, there’s always been the writing. I can’t imagine my life without it.