The last time Anton Bruckner's mighty Symphony No. 5 blasted the roof off Davies Symphony Hall, the San Francisco Symphony's Conductor Laureate Herbert Blomstedt was making one of his annual return visits. Internationally recognized for his mastery of the composer's monumental works, he dedicated an entire evening to the towering Fifth in 2012.
More recently, the New York Philharmonic's new music director Jaap van Zweden made his second appearance at DSH with his own strong-minded interpretation of Bruckner's uniquely structured score. Unlike Blomstedt, he included another piece. Mozart's exquisite Concerto for Clarinet gave SFS principal Carey Bell a chance to show his dazzling musical mastery on the first half. His deeply emotive performance was well-framed by the orchestra, with the conductor paying brisk attention to detail. After intermission, the audience was refreshed and ready for the Bruckner challenge.
The Fifth is the only Bruckner symphony to begin with a slow introduction. So slow and hushed, many early listeners and critics were somewhat baffled. Bewilderment turns to awe when the right conductor, using the right critical edition (in this case by Robert Haas), unpacks the contrasting foundational ideas of the opening movement to assemble them in the creation of a majestic edifice of sound. The composer himself liked to call the Fifth "Fantastic." His purposefully mysterious elements seem disjointed at first, but his eye is always on the prize.
Blomstedt underlined Bruckner's abrupt silences and contrasting sonorities in 2012, but he also took time to explore the dreamlike byways. Drama was uppermost to van Zweden. Self-control hinted at subdued passion with Blomstedt; Van Zweden controlled his players instead, yielding less subtlety. The older maestro brought spiritual exaltation to the glorious closing chorale. New York's new leader raised goosebumps differently, by the sheer force of his players' response.
Personal taste would determine the most satisfying rendition, but both work on their own terms. Van Zweden's willpower certainly seems suited to contemporary listeners. For those of us feeling nostalgia for Herbert Blomstedt's enduring traditional approach, he is returning to DSH Jan. 31-Feb. 2 to conduct Beethoven's Symphony No. 6, "Pastoral," and Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 3, "Scottish." This is Blomstedt repertoire to the nth degree, and surprisingly enough, both works are infrequently scheduled.
SFS Music Director Designate Esa-Pekka Salonen takes the podium this week for the first time since his exciting appointment. The concerts feature the West Coast premiere of Icelandic composer Anna Thorvaldsdottir's "Metacosmos," which received its world premiere in 2018 with Salonen conducting. Depicting the struggle between the "chaos and beauty" of the celestial abyss, "Metacosmos" should match well with R. Strauss' famous tone poem "Also sprach Zarathustra," and "Four Legends from the Kalevala" by Sibelius.
Salonen replaces Mirga Grazinyte-Tyla, who had to postpone her SFS debut due to the birth of her first child. He also returns in the 2019-20 season to conduct at least two weeks of concerts before going full-time in 2020.
Currently in his final season as Resident Conductor of the SFS and Music Director of the SFS Youth Orchestra, Christian Reif follows Jan. 24-26. He will lead performances of Prokofiev's electrifying Symphony No. 5. The irresistible masterwork, filled with the composer's trademark harmonies, surging drama and sweeping melodies, will be paired with another famous piece by R. Strauss, "Don Juan." It's a high-energy bill for a young high-energy conductor.
After Herbert Blomstedt's welcome return, Michael Tilson Thomas is back home Feb. 7-9 for the world premiere of Steven Mackey's "Portals, Scenes and Celebrations," commissioned by the SFS and composed in honor of MTT. Gil Shaham is also on hand to present more Prokofiev with the bold and moody First Violin Concerto. The program includes Tchaikovsky's immortal Fourth Symphony, something of an MTT specialty.