David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center. Orchestra (Seat V7, $50).
Program: All-Mozart
Meistermusik, K.deest (1785).
Piano Concerto No. 21 in C major, K.467 (1785).
Requiem, K.626 (1791).
Artists
Jodie Devos, soprano; Jennifer Johnson Cano, mezzo-soprano;
Andrew Stenson, tenor; Ryan Speedo Green, bass-baritone
Concert Chorale of New York, James Bagwell, choral
director
Many musicologists believe Mozart got only as far as Lacrimosa, although some think he had jotted down ideas for many other parts before he died, and those were used by Sussmayr to complete the Requiem.
This was the sixth MMF event we attended. I discovered during these past several weeks
that the Lincoln Center Festival was merged with the MMF, and that would
explain why there were some non-musical events thrown into the festival, and
why it lasted longer than it did in past years.
For the past several years I attended several MMF concerts every year,
and I was confused, I wonder how the general public perceived this change.
The program started with a seldom-heard composition, a
ceremonial piece composed based on a Gregorian chant melody associated with the
Lamentations of Jeremiah, for a Free Mason installation ceremony. What wasn’t explained in the Program Notes was
why such dark words were used (… bitter herbs, … wormwood, … I am lost). It was later adopted into K. 477 which
honored two prominent Masons who had recently died – I wonder why any
adaptation was necessary at all.
It was a beautiful piece, sung by a male chorus, and
properly sets the mood for the Requiem. Only problem was this little gem of a
concerto.
It is superfluous to say Concerto No. 21 contains “Madigan’s
theme” as its second movement, and to me the concerto is defined by how that
movement came across. As with the violin
concerto in the last concerto, I had in my mind how that second movement (Andante)
should sound – slow, dreamy, and wistful.
Alas, it sounded a bit too rushed and mechanical for my taste. Not a case of inadequate technique, just a
matter of different taste. The first and
third movements (Allegro maestoso and Allegro vivace assai) were also familiar,
and I enjoyed how Hough interpreted them; helped by my lack of a preconceived
notion, no doubt.
Hough acknowledging the applause, with Langree looking on.
Hough played as encore “Traumerei” by Schumann.
I heard Mozart’s requiem performed by the MMFO in 2014,
and I looked at that blog entry just now.
I must say my observations then continue to apply to tonight’s performance;
which is not a complimentary remark. The
soloists were different from last time, but I wouldn’t characterize any of
their singing as “good and strong.”
To be fair, the performance improved as the piece progressed,
but it never approached a state where I could sit back and enjoy without
cringing at this tentativeness or that imprecision. Men and women were again interspersed, and I noticed that it wasn't a case of females singing tenor lines (for instance). I wonder why they were organized like this, it wasn't like they wanted or needed an additional layer of challenge.
The soloists were sandwiched between the chorale and the orchestra for the Requiem.
While I wish the Festival had ended on a more positive
note for me, I was glad to be able to attend the events I did. Not having to deal with horrific traffic, and
the ease off-street parking could be found, certainly helped. There was no pre-concert recital today, so we
had time to eat the East Szechuan.
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