New York Philharmonic – Herbert Blomstedt, conductor. February 24, 2017.

David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center.  Orchestra (Seat BB105, $70.)

Program

Symphony No. 8 in F major, Op. 93 (1811-12) by Beethoven (1770-1827).

Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92 (1811-12).

We had been traveling quite a bit the first two months of this year, so I was glad to be back somewhat in our routine, familiar music in a familiar venue, even though we just flew back from Charlotte the night before.

In going over my blog, I found out there was only one other occasion when I heard the two symphonies in the same concert, and that was in Sydney, about a year ago.  (The first symphony was also in the SSO program.)

How one perceives what he hears probably has a lot to do with his state of mind.  While the Program Notes stress the “correctness” of not grouping Beethoven’s symphonies into odd- and even-numbered ones, the concert today drove home how different they could be.  No. 8 was not an easy or calm piece by any stretch of the imagination, but No. 7 was even more dramatic.

The horns got quite a bit of work out, and by-and-large did fine.  However, there were passages where I wished they played with more conviction and/or precision.  And they were at times a bit too loud.

For someone who will turn 90 later this year, Blomstedt certainly didn’t act his age.  He stood erect, conducted both pieces without the music, and was quite interactive with the orchestra.  For the last point he seemed to have mellowed a bit compared to what I recorded five years ago: I said he provided “detailed instructions” to the orchestra.

I got to be familiar with the slow movement of No. 7 from watching Immortal Beloved (I suspect many share the same experience.)  Most (if not all) live performances haven’t lived up to my notion of how that movement should be played.  Today’s met those expectations: right tempo, right degree of somberness, and right volume.

Curtain Call

One interesting fact from the Playbill.  I had been wondering why it took so long for Beethoven’s symphonies to be premiered in New York.  7 and 8 were premiered by New York Philharmonic in 1843 and 1844 respectively.  One reason given was the orchestras in the US weren’t quite ready: in the 1820s there was at one point only one bassoon player in all of New York City.  Nowadays there must be hundreds who audition one slot in the orchestra.

This New York Classical Review article wasn't all that positive as to the New York Phil phrases like "in-the-ballpark" and "in between" are slaps in the face to the orchestra.

Given the weekday train schedules, it made more sense for us to drive in.  We did get some street food before we headed home.