Out West Arts: Performance at the end of the world

Big hug with Salonen, Bronfman and the LA Philharmonic
Photo : mine 2008

The final program of the L.A. Philharmonic’s 07/08 season this weekend was a little bit of a disappointment, but only in the way the last ones always are. The desire is to have a big spectacular bang to go out on, but the reality is that the chances that the last show will surpass everything else over the last eight months is rather unlikely. Not impossible, just not statistically probable. A lot of expectations were riding on this Salonen-led weekend, which featured the local premiere of his own piano concerto, written for and again performed by Yefim Bronfman as it has been previously in New York, London, and Chicago.

It is an interesting composition that any composer in hopes of a lasting reputation could be proud of. Still I’m not completely sold on it like, say, Salonen's Wing on Wing. The concerto contains nearly miraculous flights of notes for Bronfman that he dispatches with a little sweat and plenty of dexterity. It is especially remarkable considering that Salonen never lets the orchestra stop playing during the piece, and Bronfman must overcome lots and lots of competition to be heard. Often he plays duets with individual members of the Philharmonic including one spectacular passage accompanied by the group's new principal violist, Carrie Dennis, recently arrived from a position with the Berlin Philharmonic. She killed – you’d be wise to keep an eye on her. Despite all of this, however, I felt rather detached from the whole thing. The concerto seemed like a rush of music filled with references to just about everyone you could think of, but I never got a sense of it as a distinct entity of its own. Of course, this was only a first listen. Maybe I’ll change my mind later after the DG recording made from this weekend’s performances is released.

The rest of the program consisted of a new arrangement of Debussy’s Preludes by Colin Matthews and a world premiere arrangement of Stravinsky’s Les noces by Steven Stucky. Salonen was on the mark here and in his element with another harbinger of music to come next year. The rhythmic elements were front and center and played well in this tale of an arranged marriage. Now, if it were only possible to have heard any of the four clearly talented soloists the orchestra had recruited to sing the lead roles, it would have been perfect. I know they were singing because I could see them moving their mouths; I just couldn’t hear them over all of Stravinsky’s beautiful music. It’s sad but true, even in 2008, size matters.

So that’s it. Another season draws to a close and those of us who love the L.A. Philharmonic and music in general try hard not to think about the reality of the Hollywood Bowl until we are back again in the most beautiful public room in America next October. Of course, that season will bring a world of "final performances" as well. Which reminds me, I guess I shouldn’t complain about anything in this program after all. I doubt I’m going to get too many opportunities in future years to hear a music director of the L.A. Philharmonic conduct a new composition of his own. Don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you got 'til it's gone.

Labels: LA Philharmonic 07/08, Salonen

Salonen, Anssi Karttunen, and the LA Phil
Photo : mine 2008

Well, not really. But one could hardly be faulted for thinking so based on Friday’s concert by the L.A. Philharmonic at Walt Disney Concert Hall. Esa-Pekka Salonen led the orchestra in one of a series of shows in the last two weeks of the season that focus on 20th century and more recent composers. The program tonight was all 2oth century, Bartók’s Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta, Stravinsky’s Symphony in Three Movements and Henri Dutilleux’ "Tout un monde lointain..." Not necessarily a readily digestible program but one that nearly filled the hall to capacity on a holiday weekend-Friday—in the rain no less. (That, my friends, is cataclysmic weather by L.A. traffic standards.)

The near capacity crowd was in for a treat as Salonen and the orchestra were in top form. The program began with the Bartók piece - piano, celesta, and harp center stage with the orchestra divided into two separate ensembles on either side. Starting quietly, the music grew to a thrilling and forceful account with Bartók's trademark folk-touches. It was very exciting stuff. After the break was Dutilleux' "Tout un monde lointain...", a de facto cello concerto played in five movements which is almost entirely about small gestures from a very large ensemble. This was a replacement of sorts for a new commission from Oliver Knussen that apparently wasn’t quite ready to go on for this performance so Salonen and soloist Anssi Karttunen switched gears and presented the Dutilleux piece, which certainly featured virtuosic passages Karttunen handled with ease. The work in its own subtle way remains restrained never rising above a fascinating simmer as it weaves in and out flirting with tonality.This was never about flashy theatrics and provided a nice counterpoint to the other works on the bill. Karttunen's visits to L.A. are consistently highlights and that tradition continues.

The program ended with a preview of next season as Salonen led Stravinsky’s big bustling Symphony in Three Movements. Salonen was not messing around, returning from the intermission and blazing into the opening chords with no pause for the audience to even start quieting down. Salonen's admiration for Stravinsky is well established by now, and his performances of Le Sacre du Printemps with the L.A. Phil will always remain in my mind. This Symphony was easily of that quality flying and pouncing with amazing detail and accuracy. The seeming effortlessness of a performance so well controlled is remarkable. At this level, next season, Salonen's last as music director here in L.A., may end up being one of his best. The program repeats on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon if you are so inclined.

Labels: LA Philharmonic 07/08, Salonen

Salonen at the podium
Photo : mine 2008

I must keep reminding myself that separation is a process. It will hurt less over time and things do get easier as life goes on. So it is with me, Esa-Pekka Salonen and the L.A. Philharmonic. With a little over a year to go until his departure, I find that I now believe myself about 4 times out of 10 when I tell myself that everything is going to be all right when he is gone. Every day things get a little better.

Of course, nights like yesterday's don’t necessarily help. Salonen was back in town for a series of concerts that will wrap up the 07/08 season in May. This weekend’s main event was an absolutely kick-ass rendition of Bruckner’s 6th Symphony. Clear, cool, and lyrical, it was a performance with insight and Salonen's own brand of detail we’ve come to love here in L.A. Those ringing, solid final notes of each movement were a wonder to hear. Is it crazy to say I'd have paid to hear Salonen lead this excellent group of musicians for those three or four notes alone? It’s like they’re a machine that can stop and turn in a new direction in a split second with no sign of effort. Mozart's clarinet concerto was also on the bill with the L.A. Phil's Michele Zukovsky as soloist. It was thoroughly enjoyable and a nice warm up for the Bruckner. These performances will conclude with a visit to the Segerstrom concert hall tomorrow afternoon.

Labels: LA Philharmonic 07/08, Salonen

The LA Philharmonic with Salonen and Marino Formenti
Photo: mine 2008

The 20th century music bonanza continues in LA this week as our very own Esa-Pekka Salonen dropped back into town in the midst of the “Concrete Frequency” Programs just in case any of us had forgotten the role he has played in helping develop this city's interest in music from the last 40 to 50 years. As is typically the case, he does nothing half way and tonight he presented a freaking fantastic performance of Messiaen’s Des canyons aux étoiles with the profound and emotional playing of Marino Formenti at the piano. (Check out his excellent website.) Of course this is a Messiaen anniversary year so his wonderful music suddenly is in abundance everywhere. But whatever the reason, the huge crowd at Walt Disney Concert Hall tonight was clearly blown away by a performance that was nothing short of masterful.

Written as a commission for the commemoration of the American bicentennial, Des canyons aux étoiles is Messiaen’s reflection of what is perhaps the most beautiful places in North America – Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks. Messiaen may not have seemed the most obvious choice for this work. Let’s face it – what says America more than birds, stars, and Catholicism? But the French have a long tradition of making spectacular gifts to the US and this is no exception. Strangely, and wonderfully, the heady Messiaenic mix overwhelms with beauty and a true sense of spirituality. The work weaves in and out of material about specific birds, the beauty of the canyons, and the stars over the course of its twelve segments incorporating material for solo piano as well as more concerto-like movements. Salonen held everything in complete control producing a loving performance from his band of Philharmonic regulars including a remarkable horn solo from William Lane. The concluding segments of both the second and third parts were awe-inspiring. Although the piano soloist was originally announced to be Andreas Haefliger, an extremely fortunate substitution was made with the presence instead of Formenti. No stranger to Messiaen or the Los Angeles contemporary music scene, Formenti played with remarkable intensity switching from light and birdlike to darkly celestial without missing a beat. He and Salonen, as well as the rest of the players, received an extended standing ovation from the crowd.

The only bad news would seem to be this – with such a miraculous performance so early in this Messiaen year, everything else may be downhill from such a pinnacle.

Labels: LA Philharmonic 07/08, Music Reviews 07/08, Salonen

Members of Diavolo and Salonen
Photo: Lawrence K. Ho/LAT 2007

It’s after Labor Day and the opera season starts this weekend, but here in LA, summer is far from over. In case anyone missed that point, the LA Philharmonic scheduled two big shows this week at the group's summer home, the Hollywood Bowl, featuring music director Esa-Pekka Salonen in high-profile programs. Both of these evenings centered around collaborations between Salonen, the LA Philharmonic and other performers with various levels of success, but enjoyable and worthwhile results nonetheless.

Tuesday’s main attraction was Salonen conducting his own composition Foreign Bodies accompanied by a new ballet choreographed specifically for the work by LA’s own Diavolo Dance Theater under director Jacques Heim. The Philharmonic sounded great and Diavolo overcame a space that has finished off bigger and more experienced theater and dance ensembles. Diavolo and Heim took advantage of their trademark interest in incorporating large set objects into their work by choreographing the movement around a large cube with multiple openings that individual dancers could pass into and out of throughout the performance. The cube further broke apart into three smaller Plexiglas pyramid sections that could be easily moved, rotated and reassembled throughout. The piece was very engaging and the crowd responded with remarkable enthusiasm for a Tuesday night at the Bowl. The second half of the program featured Mahler’s First Symphony and the Philharmonic delivered a strong and spirited run through even if it was hampered with that hallmark Hollywood Bowl sound - like your listening to the music being played on a boom box from a neighboring stall in a men’s room.

Mikhail Kit and Salonen in action
Photo: Ken Hively/LAT 2007

Thursday's offering from Salonen et al. was a concert performance of the original version of Mussorgsky’s Boris Godunov with an all-star Russian cast straight from the Mariinsky Theater including one of the worlds preeminent interpreters of the main role, Mikhail Kit. Ironically, much of the same cast, including Kit, appeared in the same fully-staged opera last year in Orange County under Valery Gergiev as part of the Mariinsky’s tour. Salonen’s approach is clearly more studied and methodical than Gergiev’s and while it undoubtedly had several great moments, it seemed somewhat more suited to Wagner than Mussorgsky given its pacing. The vocalists were quite strong on the whole, but few of them, with the notable exception of Kit, did much acting with their vocal performance making the whole thing seem unnecessarily stiff. However the weakest link on Thursday was clearly the Pacific Chorale that seemed distant and drowned-out in the massive space of the Bowl. While it was not an unenjoyable evening, it made me long for the wonderful feeling of the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Fall Philharmonic Season still a month away. But, as always, good things come to those who wait.

Labels: LA Philharmonic 06/07, Salonen

Sellars, Saariaho, and Salonen
Photo: E. Mahoudeau

The LA Philharmonic announced today that the American Premiere of Kaija Saariaho’s La Passion de Simone has been delayed, again. The work which premiered in Vienna in 2006 as part of Peter Sellars’ New Crowned Hope Festival was originally scheduled to premiere here in LA in January 2007, but was postponed when the soloist for whom the work was written, Dawn Upshaw, was forced to withdraw for health reasons. The performance was rescheduled for the opening weekend of this year’s LA Philharmonic Season, October 5-7.

Now, according to media reports, the performance has again been canceled and rescheduled in part due to the decision of music director Esa-Pekka Salonen and Peter Sellars that the work needs to be presented “in its fully staged form.” Since not all of the participants can be available for the staging on the previously scheduled dates of what was apparently intended as a concert performance, Simone has again been postponed until 08/09 and in its stead Salonen will conduct a program including Berio, Richard Strauss, and Beethoven’s 7th.

Bummed doesn’t begin to describe my reaction to this news. While I can appreciate the argument, seeing the piece without the staging was actually going to be one of the highlights of the performance. Not that the solo dance accompaniment from Michael Schumacher wasn’t worthwhile, but having seen one of the London performances of the piece this summer, I think there are actually benefits to a concert performance in a work of such intensity and relatively small scale. Not to mention that if Simone has suffered from anything thus far in its history, it has to be that the work hasn’t yet met the right conductor. Salonen has proven to have a special affinity for Saariaho’s work and to have to wait yet again for this performance is undoubtedly a disappointment. However, if me must wait for the stars to align to see Salonen conduct Saariaho's work in LA, I guess we shall.

Labels: LA Philharmonic, Salonen