Cleveland Orchestra @ Severance Hall 9/25 It isn't every concert that finds the principal violist tuning the orchestra for the evening's concert. Robert Vernon, however, was up to the task, even though the evening's soloist, Pierre-Laurent Aimard produced an entirely different sound from the piano. And thus the opening concert of the 2008-09 season of The Cleveland Orchestra was underway.

Music Director Franz Welser-Möst conducted the US premiere of this years Roche commission, Duet for Piano and Orchestra by the British composer George Benjamin. These same musicians will give the NY premiere at Carnegie Hall in February, 2009. The work is scored for pairs of winds, 3 trombones, harp, celesta, an assortment of percussion and strings, minus violins.

Although the melodic lines are dense at times, it is not dissonant at all, but rather joyful and buoyant. There are middle-eastern rhythms interspersed here and there, along with snippets of jazz, as the soloist and the orchestra engage each other in a dialogue. The orchestra, however, has the last word: a flurry of flutter-tonguing in the brass and a loud crash of cymbals herald the ending.

Perhaps it was the distraction of the video cameras on stage that caused the momentary loss of concentration on two separate occasions during the Symphony No. 7 in E major of Anton Bruckner. Such errors are not exactly a common occurrence from these players. (The concert was filmed for a future DVD release and broadcast.) Nevertheless, overall, the huge work sounded radiant and gorgeous, from the ultra-soft beginning to the triumphant ending. One would not ordinarily expect to hear a scherzo-like duet between flute and double bass, but here it was, delightfully, from an almost-giddy Bruckner. A bit closer to the end of the first movement was a section vastly reminiscent of some of the Rhine music from Wagner's Das Rheingold; Wagner, of course, being Bruckner's idol.

Another sign of this admiration was the presence of four Wagner tubas, seated behind the five horns, providing the basis for a sumptuous brass chorale. Adding depth to this arrangement was tuba principal Yasuhito Sugiyama, who moved from his normal position on the other side of the stage for this segment. The result was a long, lovely melody almost schmaltz-like (good!) in part-harmony, highlighted by Wagner's Tristan chord. This augmented chord is noted for looking forward while imbued with intense longing. The musical demonstration was very eloquent.

The third movement is a real scherzo, featuring the trumpet, and is amazingly pastoral in nature. It's very easy to hear the birds twittering in Bruckner'ss world as he was writing this piece. The finale provides yet more of the glorious four-part harmony by the Wagner tubas. The last few lines were a tribute to Wagner; who had only just died in Venice; even as Bruckner was writing the final notes to his symphony.

Next week's concerts are unusually configured: Thursday evening and Friday morning, only, as the usual Saturday evening program is part of a Five City Gala, paying tribute to the two residential and three tour cities most closely aligned to the orchestra this season: Cleveland, Miami, Milan, Vienna and New York. For tickets or more information, visit the website http://www.clevelandorchestra.com or call 231-1111.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Kelly Ferjutz artswriterATroadrunner.com
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