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Enter the Heir Apparent New York
Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center
03/06/2008 - and March 7, 8
Franz Josef Haydn: Symphony 48 in C Major
Luciano Berio: Folk Songs
Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No. 4 in B-flat major, Opus 60
Dawn Upshaw (Soprano), Cynthia Phelps (Viola)
New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Alan Gilbert (Conductor)
It was almost kismet that Alan Gilbert would have to be appointed head of the New York Philharmonic. Like Judy Garland “born in a trunk”, Gilbert could have been born in a violin case, both parents already playing in the orchestra. And having studied violin himself, winning several awards, and leading orchestras throughout Europe, his appointment to lead the Philharmonic next year, after Lorin Maazel once again goes freelance, seemed to be destiny.
Gilbert’s program last night carries on the Phil’s not-so-great tradition of choosing two comforting composers (Haydn and Beethoven), with a wee titillation of avant-garde thrown in. And when a star singer like Dawn Upshaw essays Luciano Berio’s Folk Songs, that comfort extends even to the unknown.
The Folk Songs, though, are already well known in two ways. The two American songs, I Wonder as I Wander and Black is the Color of my True Love’s Hair are familiar for their inherent beauty. And the entire work became a relative “hit” when orchestrated 35 years ago and sung by Cathy Berberian, Berio’s wife at the time, and a woman whose range and timbres were absolutely unique.
Not that Ms. Upshaw needs comparison with even an icon. She can be a radiant lyric soprano, she can be dramatic, and can communicate Monteverdi as well as Del Tredici.
She worked her usual magic with the Berio, singing with unusual expression the words to the first American songs, and accompanied with mesmerizing solo viola playing by the Phil’s first chair player, Catherine Phelps.
From here, Upshaw went onto the more earthy numbers from Sicily and Armenia, and finishing with the most wonderful lilt in a folk song from Azerbaijan.
And that calls for a footnote. In the original recording, there was no translation for the Azerbaijani song, since the sounds had been taken directly from a recording. I was living in Iran at the time, and knew that there was no Azerbaijani language, that it was a dialect of Turkish. A note was sent to Signor Berio, and while I never received an answer, I see that a translation is now used.
Enough. Mr. Gilbert is a very assured conductor indeed, but I personally regret his omitting (for historical reasons) the trumpets of the Haydn symphony. Not only would it have been more appropriate for the visit of Empress Maria Theresa to the Ersterházy castle, but it would have softened the two resounding French horns. They really did overcome the string choirs in this performance, though Avery Fisher Hall acoustics can be tricky for any conductor.
Beethoven’s Fourth Symphony was given with all the right brio, with some terrific pounding timpani to show that this was “lighter” Beethoven. True, some conductors can bring more shading from the introduction to the first theme, and some grace to the second movement. But Mr. Gilbert ended with all the excitement necessary.
He is known in Santa Fe and Europe for his contemporary music, and one hopes that the New York Phil will let Gilbert start his new venture next year by bringing in new music as well.
Harry Rolnick
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