Cleveland Orchestra @ Severance Hall 12/03/09
Romanticism defined

If you’re looking for a musical definition of ‘lush romanticism’ you could do worse than listen to the Symphony No. 2 in E minor, Op. 27, by the great romantic Russian composer, Sergei Rachmaninoff. Frankly, I doubt if he’d have recognized a dissonant note should one have walked up and smacked him over the head instead of saying ‘hello.’ No matter. Unless you’re entirely devoted to dissonance and discord and other sometimes strange sounds, you’d definitely have loved this concert by the Cleveland Orchestra. Guest Conductor Iván Fischer was warmly welcomed by both orchestra and audience, and no wonder. It was a nearly perfect occasion.

Carl Maria von Weber was 16 years younger than Beethoven, and it’s easy to think he might well have been influenced by the older composer. Looking forward a bit, it’s just as easy to think that Richard Wagner might have been influenced by the opening chords of Weber’s Overture to Der Freischütz. Those dramatic notes clearly point to the famous Tristan chord, at least to my ears. Der Freischütz was the first serious German opera, as well as one of the first of such nationalistic works. It could not take place elsewhere, and is replete with all sorts of Germanic elements. The orchestra’s horn section bathed itself in glory while bathing us in the rich golden tones of Weber’s horn chorales. The high-energy finale led, fittingly, into the highly-romantic concerto to follow.

Beethoven’s Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37 encompasses every sort of emotion imaginable, and the composer could not have asked for a better interpreter than the American pianist Richard Goode. Even though the music is in a minor key, it is happy and ebullient pretty much all the way through. Mr. Goode displayed a wonderfully fluid approach with subtle changes in dynamics, although he could thunder when necessary.

The opening of the second movement is rather introspective Beethoven, and this performance was extremely comfy – as though we were all seated in a cozy living room. With a fire in the fireplace perhaps. (I know, the entire orchestra in there, too, would have made it a tad crowded, but it would have been well worth it!) Assistant principal bassoon Barrick Stees had a lovely, extended solo over the strings playing pizzicato behind Mr. Goode. Principal clarinet Franklin Cohen followed with his mellow tones proving how valuable it is to practice one’s scales.

A jaunty rondo forms the final movement, with a solo by assistant principal oboe Jeffrey Rathbun, and a longer one by Mr. Cohen, that was nearly complete and complex enough to have been a solo sonata for clarinet. Throughout Mr. Fischer was an attentive and demonstrative conductor, using sinuous gestures with his left hand, while being closely aware of the soloist in the final cadenza. The very appreciative and loud ovation that followed was well deserved by everyone on the stage. Fabulous performance!

If it was early 19th Century romanticism in the first half of the program, the second half was early 20th Century super romanticism! Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2 in E minor, Op. 27 was written in 1906 and 07, when the composer was just past 30. No wonder it’s so sprawling and, well, romantic! Lyrical snippets trip over each other through their sheer abundance. The composer specifies a huge orchestra, and he utilizes every single one of these instruments in various combinations and sections. (For instance, the violas have two such organizational main themes, and quite rightly, the conductor gave them their own bow!)

The second movement Scherzo is so familiar sounding, one can almost (but not quite) picture the commercial in which it must once have been used. The music here is driven by an assortment of catchy rhythms. Mr. Cohen was once again featured near the beginning of the third movement, Adagio. In the Finale, first associate concertmaster Peter Otto contributed a gorgeous solo, in which he was eventually joined by the flute of assistant principal Marisela Sager.

I’d have to agree with those critics who think the slightly-abridged version of this symphony (created by the composer) would perhaps be a more welcome addition to concert programs, but still – when played by this orchestra, one really cannot quibble at all.

For the rest of December (through the 21st) there are a variety of Christmas programs scheduled, plus shorter programs about Chanukah and Kwanzaa for children. For complete details, visit the website: http://www.clevelandorchestra.com or call the ticket office at 216.231.1111.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Kelly Ferjutz, who writes: My most recently published book is Ardenwycke Unveiled (e-book and trade paper). Cerridwen has another contemporary romance from me, But Not For Love, currently available only as an e-book, but perhaps will be in print next year. I hope to soon get around to completing some of the 30+ incomplete books in my computer!

By the way, Cerridwen has also accepted two of my short stories in their Scintillating Samples (complimentary reads) area: Song of the Swan and Unexpected Comfort. I love photography as well, as you can see here. Occasionally I teach writing workshops and sometimes do editing or ghostwriting on a free-lance basis. But over and above everything else, there's always been the writing. I can't imagine my life without it.