Two weeks of concerts by the San Francisco Symphony at Davies Symphony Hall have included the Orchestra debut of British conductor Daniel Harding and the return of old favorite Yan Pascal Tortelier, in to replace previously scheduled Charles Dutoit (discredited by claims of sexual misconduct).
The separate programs introduced internationally honored pianist Paul Lewis to the SFS, and brought back reigning diva, mezzo-soprano Susan Graham for a glowing solo turn. Both concerts also featured the rare appearance of a wind machine in the percussion section, but we'll get to that later.
Initially, the opportunity to hear Paul Lewis play the Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 3 seemed the biggest attraction. Many were curious to hear what conductor Daniel Harding would do with Richard Strauss' "An Alpine Symphony" later in the evening, but Lewis is noted for his impeccably executed Beethoven, and we have already heard Harding's eloquence with Strauss on disc with mixed responses.
Surprisingly, Harding turned the tables on our expectations. He rather upstaged Lewis with a thoughtful and gorgeously played rethinking of the orchestral backdrop in the Beethoven Concerto. The elegant pianist was predictably adept, but his tendency to downplay theatrics made him appear more instrumental to the big picture than the actual star. It was a satisfying performance overall, but frustrating. I might have liked it better on a recording, but then what would have been the point?
Harding let it rip again on the second half with a mighty rendition of a mighty score. The crowd went wild for "An Alpine Symphony," and the thanks were due, in large part, to the sheer volume of the work. It was entertaining to take the "postcards trip" up and down the mountain. Everyone delights in Strauss' "everything but the kitchen sink" approach to orchestration. Well, maybe not everyone. That's where the wind machine comes in. Sorry to be a party pooper, but I think it is a cheesy sound effect and typical of everything I find kitschy about Strauss' bloated tone poem. An undeniable orchestral tour de force, the musicians must be up to the challenge. Harding has proved his worth with the piece on disc, but the SFS faltered at times, and the performance seemed simply showy. It was fun, but only because Harding tried to be an amusing guide.
Last week the wind machine was employed to much subtler effect in Yan Pascal Tortelier's concert arrangement of Maurice Ravel's sensuously scored "Daphnis et Chloe," Choreographic Symphony in Three Parts. Eliminating the choral parts might have weakened the effect, but Tortelier's sensitive and seamless version seemed a good choice for concert listening. It was less ballet and more symphony, and the conductor proved again his mastery with the French repertoire.
The program also commemorated the great composer's trip to San Francisco in February 1928, when he conducted the SFS at the Curran Theatre. His orchestrations of Debussy's "Sarabande" and "Danse" were on the bill, and so was the local premiere of his own "Sheherazade" for mezzo-soprano and orchestra. All of these works were repeated by Tortelier with the SFS musicians and Susan Graham, with lovely results.
I attended on "College Night," which is a clever strategy by marketing and administration to lure fresh faces to Davies Hall. It was a notable success, and the enthusiastic new listeners were not disappointed by Susan Graham's beautifully idiomatic "Sheherazade." Her natural grace on stage shows opera experience, but she really knows how to sell an art song, too.
This week, SFS Resident Conductor Christian Reif, surely in the running for MTT's replacement, conducts his first full DSH concert program (he has conducted before, but not a full bill). Holst's "The Planets," some Wagner, and Liszt's Piano Concerto No. 2 with pianist Jean-Efflam Bavouzet are on the menu.