Brahms' titanic concerto gets heroic treatment in Pasadena

By Truman C. Wang
Saturday, November 8, 2003

The Pasadena Symphony

Jorge Mester, conductor
DUBRAVKA TOMSIC, pianist

Saturday, November 8, 2003  at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium

PASADENA, CA – In this second concert of the 2003-2004 Pasadena Symphony season, the theme was again education.  But this time, there was no proselytizing, no analysis, just fine music-making plain and simple.  And fine it was indeed.

Benjamin Britten’s Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra is a set of thirteen variations on a theme by Henry Purcell.  Despite what its title would suggest, the work is among the best, the most sophisticated that ever flowed from the pen of an English composer.  It has the dashing bravado, humor and wittiness that characterize the best English works from this period  (roughly 1930’s through 1950).  The Pasadena players delivered the main theme and each variation with tremendous gusto and enthusiasm.  The delightful xylophone and clarinet contributions were tossed off with insouciant ease.

The Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis is another work of the theme-and-variations variety.  The composer, Ralph (pronounced Rafe) Vaughan Williams, retains the original tune’s ecclesiastical character by adopting Phrygian modal harmonies for the main theme.  Also, by dividing the string orchestra into three groups – one large choir and two small groups of 9 and 4 strings each – the work achieves impressive organ-like sonorities of a great cathedral in the confines of a concert hall.  Maestro Mester gave a intensely spiritual reading that traversed from the depths of the low strings to the heavenly peaks on the violins. 

Johannes Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor is my favorite of all the Romantic piano concertos.  I must commend the Pasadena Symphony for its courage in engaging a seasoned veteran artist instead of some hot, young prodigy with plenty of dazzle and little style.  The D-minor concerto is a mature work of immense architectural grandeur that requires sensitive, intelligent pianism more than technical brilliance – one reason it had taken a while before the concerto caught on with the public.  Slovenian pianist Dubravka Tomsic may not have the blisteringly fast octaves, the note-perfect delivery, or the dynamic extremes of today’s young, athletic pianists.  What she has in spades, however, is the keen intelligence and eloquence that informed every bar of her playing.  The first-movement cadenza was full of sweet sentiments tinged with tragedy.  In the nocturnal adagio, Ms. Tomsic’s strong left hand provided a firm harmonic support for the right hand’s delicate, distilled emotions.  The rip-roaring rondo displayed much contained rapture that could only be achieved through experience and wisdom.

All in all, a most educational (and enjoyable) musical evening for the young and old alike.

K-Mozart FM105.1 will broadcast this concert on Nov 30, 2003.  For tickets to other Pasadena Symphony concerts, call (626) 584-8833 or visit online www.pasadenasymphony.org

 

Truman C. Wang is editor of Classical Voice.

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