At the conclusion of the concert.
NJPAC, Newark, NJ. Orchestra (Seat P102, $75).
Program
Clair de Lune by Debussy/arr. Caplet.
Sounding for Piano and Orchestra by Nico Muhly.
Symphony No. 2 in E Minor, Op. 27 by Rachmaninoff.
Perhaps of her other engagements, Zhang's conducting of the NJ Symphony seems to be compressed within the last few months of the season. We saw her first appearance with the orchestra last week, and have tickets for two additional concerts later this season. As with last week, the audience seemed to be excited about having her back on the podium.
For this concert, however, they had to wait until the second half. The first half was led by McDaniel, a Colton Conducting Fellow. Clair de Lune is a familiar piano piece beloved by piano students, and there are many arrangements made for various ensembles. Today's was a popular one arranged by Andre Caplet. It amazes me how some composers can paint so well with music, as it is easy, even natural, to associate the music with the moon and its shimmering image over a body of water.
Nico Muhly is a rather well-known composer in his forties. This piano concerto is dedicated to his fellow Vermonter Tendler, and was premiered last May in Burlington, Vermont. Per the Program Notes, the work is based on four hymns by Justin Morgan, who settled in Vermont in the late 1780s. The titles of the movements (so presumably the hymns) are Amanda, Montgomery, Huntington, and Sounding Joy, with Codetta: Montgomery appended at the end. With the possible exception of Sounding Joy, these are certainly unusual hymn titles. The pianist is supposed to range from headstrong to intimate to sparkling, and to bring out the lines from the hymns. I didn't get any of that, partially due to the weak-sounding piano (I attribute that more to poor acoustics of the hall). I suppose if I had done more research on the piece I would have appreciated it some more.
Adam Tendler and Gregory D. McDaniel after the performance of Muhly's piano concerto.
Rachmaninoff is well-known for his works for the piano. His first foray into symphony writing so traumatized him that he stopped composing for a few years, returning to it only after professional therapy. The second symphony was completed in 1907, several years after Rachmaninoff had resumed composing music.
Rachmaninoff was an admirer of Tchaikovsky, and indeed the latter's death weighed on him considerably. While the Program Notes compare this symphony to those of Tchaikovsky's, I could gather perhaps influence and evolution. As I said about Brahms and Beethoven, there is likewise no mistaking Rachmaninoff for Tchaikovsky. One clear distinction that comes to mind is the start of many of Rachmaninoff's works has the audience joining a program in progress, while Tchaikovsky tends to have more of a formal introduction before launching into his themes. Another comparison is with Schubert's Great. I would say Rachmaninoff handled his melodies in a way that always sounded fresh, while Schubert can sound repetitive, even when performed by a top-notch ensemble.
In general it was a pleasant performance. I have not looked at the score, but I assume, as with Rachmaninoff's other pieces, it is quite challenging. Today the "clean" sound was put to good use. The unusually large orchestra produced a sound that was rich and delicate at needed. The pace felt fast, yet the orchestra kept its composure, which is refreshing. I did think the cymbals were a bit tentative at first. As pointed to me a few weeks ago, the wind section could be more assertive.
The four movements of the Symphony are Largo - Allegro moderato, Allegro molto, Adagio, and Allegro vivace. The adagio contained a beautiful memory that resonated with the Clair de Lune heard earlier in the program.
Today's attendance was not great. The program is repeated four times: twice at NJPAC, once each in Princeton and Morristown.
There is a lot of construction going on, and the only car park available is the Military Park. The attendants could be a bit more efficient, but it was relatively easy to find a space to park and didn't take very long to leave - that the attendance was low helped.
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