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The Cleveland Orchestra in New York (I): Measha Brueggergosman (soprano), Franz Welser-Möst (conductor), Carnegie Hall, New York City, 4.2.2009 (BH)

Ligeti: Atmosphères (1961)
Wagner: Wesendonck Songs (1857-1858)
R. Strauss: An Alpine Symphony, Op. 64 (1911-1915)


This curiously contained Carnegie Hall concert—albeit magnificently played—seemed to confirm at least one of the criticisms of Franz Welser-Möst's conducting: a sense of "holding back," of not letting the music's emotional wallop rise up and smack you in the face.  But credit where credit is due, in this first of three concerts with the Cleveland Orchestra: his programming was excellent, even if the results seemed mixed.  Starting the program with Ligeti's Atmosphères was a brilliant idea on paper, but in actual performance, Welser-Möst seemed to be proving how softly the orchestra could play.  And that's not such a bad idea, yet ultimately the piece does need to be audible.  Portions were simply too quiet to register, even in Carnegie's sensitive acoustic.  And it didn't help that many in the audience took awhile to calm down, with a sea of coughing shattering some of the spell.  That said, there was plenty to enjoy, hearing Ligeti's masterpiece played by this luxuriously virtuosic ensemble.  The cluster chords were rock-solid, and the air passing through the brass instruments near the end made one imagine plumbing a vast cave, surrounded by ancient winds.

Soprano Measha Brueggergosman cut a dashing figure, walking onstage in a long yellow dress flowing onto the floor, to sing Wagner's Wesendonck Songs.  She has a strong instrument, well suited to Wagner's long lines, and her creamy tone melded well with the ensemble, only occasionally diving underneath when the orchestral texture simply became too much (probably as much Wagner's fault as anyone else's).  But meanwhile, the orchestra sounded completely unfazed, throwing out gorgeous tuttis and equally compelling solos with the ease that great orchestras do.

After intermission, Richard Strauss's An Alpine Symphony seemed a natural choice to show off both conductor and ensemble.  The low brass growled magnificently in the proto-minimalist opening (think Das Rheingold), and offstage trumpets were beautifully muted.  To some the constant cascades may grow wearisome, but not here; Welser-Möst shaped the piece with intelligence and as before, helped by the orchestra's luminous response.  The storm was almost too beautiful, despite the ominous metal thunder sheet hanging at the back, like equipment in some abattoir.  In the section in which the Alpine wanderer descends from the mountain, the winds and horns were magnificently terraced, and sure enough, some quiet chords seemed to echo the opening of the Ligeti—now this is savvy programming.  But as with the rest of the program, somehow the net result felt slightly underpowered.  Strauss's mountain climb should somehow break free and reach for the sky, but here remained slightly earthbound.

Bruce Hodges


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