SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL

Haydn - Overture to L’isola disabitata

Fauré - Suite from Masques et bergamasques, Op. 112
(Overture, Menuet, Gavotte, Pastorale)

Haydn - Cello Concerto in C Major, Hob. VIIb (Moderato, Adagio, Allegro molto)

Mozart - Symphony no. 40 in G Minor (Molto allegro, Andante, Menuetto: Allegretto, Allegro assai)

 

In his debut appearance with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra ,Trevor Pinnock left a strong impression as a persuasive stylist in a program that contained both familiar works and pieces less often heard or, in this case, rarely performed at Symphony Center. Pinnock established the tone with the Overture of Joseph Haydn’s 1779 opera L’isola disabitata (“The deserted island”) in emphasizing the carefully articulated phrases of this Sturm-und-Drang composition. The stylized minuet in the middle of the overture was elegantly brought out, a feature that served to anchor a program in which, as Pinnock pointed out in his comments, included three minuets – the other two being in the Fauré Suite and the Mozart Symphony.

With the Suite from Fauré’s Masques et Bergamasques Pinnock was equally at home. The overture reflected the fine balance of the CSO players in a piece that was at once an urbane work of the early twentieth century and a souvenir of the elegant style of late eighteenth-century France. The menuet was nicely phrased, with the cadences particularly well played as the piece moved from one thematic section to another. A similar elegance emerged in the gavotte, which shared the same Janus-vision as the rest of the piece. Almost effortlessly, Pinnock brought the piece to a closely with a convincing performance of the Pastorale, a movement that sounded comfortably familiar, even though this was the Suite’s first hearing at Symphony Center since 1993.

The first part of the program culminated with a stunning performance of Haydn’s Cello Concerto in C Major, and as familiar as the work might be to many, Pavel Gomziakov’s reading brought out details that made it seem fresh and dynamic. Gomziakov’s tone with the 1703 Tecchler cello (loaned for these performances by the Chicago Stradivarius Society), was vibrant and clear, and his technique suited the venerable instrument perfectly. The virtuosity that Gomziakov brought to this particular work was clearly apparent in the first movement, but it was the second movement which was most impressive. The sense of a singing line emerged in the shaping of each pitch within the longer lines, and this was further enhanced Gomziakov’s intensity in through the whole movement. Such phrasing made this an extraordinary reading in which the soloist and orchestra were seamless. For this, Pinnock may be credited with providing the leadership that drew out the best from the soloist and also the orchestra, which was as unflagging in this movement as the soloist was. The Finale formed a natural conclusion to the piece. Working together, Pinnock and Gomziakov paced the final section so that the work reached its structural climax, a moment that was evident in the audience’s reaction to this breathtaking performance.

The second half of the program consisted of Mozart’s Symphony no. 40 in G Minor, and for this too, Pinnock drew out details that do not always occur with other conductors. For one, Pinnock chose to perform the version of this Symphony which includes clarinet parts, and in using it, he took full advantage of the excellent ensemble in the CSO’s woodwind section. The first movement was a clearly articulated sonata, and as much as the music is familiar, the development section was exciting for the tension that emerged in this performance. In the second movement, the woodwinds were outstanding for their execution of their tutti passages. In these it was possible to hear individual players, yet at the same time their sounds merged perfectly to reveal all of Mozart’s . The minuet was notable for its elegance and restraint in which Pinnock brought out all elements of phrasing structure but allowed the movement to unfold naturally and without imposed artice. Likewise Pinnock allowed the final movement to build to its climax gradually but wholly logically. He gave the opening an understated character, and while the volume was restrained, the tempo was brisk and engaging. The rondo elements all emerged readily, and the repeated passages were varied sufficiently to make this into anything but a run-of-the-mill interpretation. Rather, it was a magisterial reading that elicited comments from the audience about wanting to hear this familiar work more often.

Trevor Pinnock worked superbly well with the CSO in performance these four varied pieces. With both the familiar music and pieces that are heard less often, he gave solid interpretations that made orchestra and audience alike seem comfortable under his baton. The concert was completely successful in conveying the eighteenth-century style that Pinnock knows so well.

 

James L Zychowicz