SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL

SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL CONCERT REVIEW

Brahms and Ravel: Vassily Sinaisky, cond., Henning Kraggerud, violin, Daniel Müller-Schott, cello, Seattle Symphony, Seattle Symphony Chorale, Benaroya Hall, Seattle, 18.3.2010 (BJ)

 

Unlike L’Oiseau de feu, where many of the passages Stravinsky omitted in making his concert suite are of limited musical interest when separated from the stage action, the complete Daphnis et Chloé is a gorgeous score throughout, even beyond the two series of “symphonic fragments” that Ravel extracted from it. The performance that constituted the second half of this concert was indeed ravishing, and gave further evidence not only of Vassily Sinaisky’s technical mastery but also of his breadth of stylistic sympathy.

 

From Mozart and Weber to Tchaikovsky, Sibelius, and Shostakovich, previous encounters with his work have convinced me that this is the finest Russian conductor now before the public. One or two others may be possessed of more obvious personal charisma, but none rivals Sinaisky’s combination of eloquence and discipline with refinement and intelligence. All of those qualities were evident in the richly bucolic yet fine-boned performance of Ravel’s ballet that he drew from the Seattle Symphony. We were treated to innumerable seductive woodwind solos, notably from principal flutist Scott Goff, and sumptuous contributions from the horn section (led on this occasion by Mark Robbins) and the rest of the brass. These combined with incisive percussion work and luxuriant string textures to realize the music’s full gamut of expression, running from superfine delicacy and erotic enchantment to the occasional frisson of sheer cosmic terror.

 

The performance of Brahms’s Double Concerto before intermission had left me in two minds. It was highly professional in every respect, yet I couldn’t really warm to it. Perhaps a certain lack of temperamental unity between the two soloists was the cause. Henning Kraggerud showed himself to be a violinist of considerable gifts, but his lyrical grace was not quite matched by cellist Daniel Müller-Schott. In contrast to a performance of Strauss’ Don Quixote that I heard him give in Philadelphia a few years ago, his playing this time seemed too much focused on force rather than warmth of expression. His tone lacked some of the sensuality I found in it before, and the somewhat tight-lipped result was exacerbated by the tempo set for the finale. Brahms marked the movement “Vivace non troppo,” but it sounded to me more like “Vivace un poco troppo,” and even Sinaisky’s ministrations could not save the big tuttis from verging on brutality. Fortunately, the subsequent pleasures of the Ravel sufficed to send me, and I think an obviously delighted audience, home happy.

 

Bernard Jacobson