SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL

Rameau, Ligeti, R. Strauss: Christian Tetzlaff (violin), Barbara Hannigan (soprano), Ensemble ACJW, Sir Simon Rattle (conductor), Zankel Hall, New York City, 19 12.2010 (BH)

Rameau: Suite from Les Boréades (1763)

Ligeti: Violin Concerto (1989-1993)

Ligeti: Mysteries of the Macabre (1991)

R. Strauss: Metamorphosen: A Study for 23 Strings (1945)

Barbara Hannigan, Sir Simon Rattle, and Ensemble ACJW in "Mysteries of the Macabre"
Picture © Jennifer Taylor

As violinist Christian Tetzlaff strode out from the wings of Zankel Hall, I couldn’t help but notice his dog-eared part for Ligeti’s Violin Concerto—just one of the myriad telling details of this overwhelmingly successful evening by the Ensemble ACJW led by Sir Simon Rattle. I couldn’t help but imagine how many times Tetzlaff has played this piece. His authority in this wild, uncompromising and (at times) surprisingly tender score only seems to have increased since hearing him perform it in 2007 with Alan Gilbert and the New York Philharmonic.

Soloist aside, the music itself only grows in intrigue with each hearing, and the passion and sheer proficiency that the young ACJW players brought to bear reminded me that classical music isn’t in such bad shape as some might think. This is a complex, difficult score, yet one that seemed to pose nothing but delight for the players, the peerless soloist, and the evening’s inspired conductor. Ligeti gives a huge role to a quaint instrument, the ocarina, and a chorus of them appears several times to striking effect. But Tetzlaff may have trumped all in his virtuoso cadenza near the end, with his violin magically mimicking the ocarinas’ timbre. I was in awe.

Let’s rewind slightly to the opening, a brisk, thunderous reading of Rameau’s Suite from Les Boréades, with Sir Simon and the ensemble diving in as if gripped by a friendly poltergeist. Perhaps taking a cue from the approach refined by HIP ensembles, rhythms were vigorous, phrases done with a slight edge to the attack, and the players outdid themselves maintaining unanimity even at very high speeds. Yet all onstage seemed to be in the most jovial of moods: the two “Contredanses” were an absolute riot.

But even more riotous behavior was in store, in a memorable Mysteries of the Macabre with soprano Barbara Hannigan. This short suite, arranged by Elgar Howarth from Ligeti’s opera, Le Grand Macabre, recaps the three dazzling arias for Gepopo, the Chief of the Secret Police. Hannigan was one of the stars of last spring’s monumental success, a concert version of the opera also with Gilbert and the Philharmonic, but terrific as it was, it seemed tame compared to the melée we witnessed here.

Entering while slinking along a side wall in a floor-length black leather trench coat and a black Louise Brooks-style wig, Hannigan eventually flung the coat to the floor to reveal a lace-up patent leather dress, capped with enormous matching knee-high boots. At one point, she kicked Rattle in the derriere, knocking him off the podium, and began conducting the ensemble herself, before the conductor, mock-disgusted, booted her off to regain the helm. Other memorable antics included Rattle stopping in midstream, faking exasperation and storming into the midst of the players, and a percussionist rhythmically tearing up a poster of pop heartthrob Justin Bieber. The audience roared at the conclusion, as Hannigan lowered her legs in a pretzel-shaped bow, and Rattle casually retrieved her leather coat from the floor.

As a gorgeous contrast to all this blissful insanity, the ensemble returned for RichardStrauss’s achingly chromatic Metamorphosen—and in a surprise reappearance, Tetzlaff returned to lead the ensemble. With most of the strings standing in a semicircle, Rattle drew a sweeping performance, packed with commitment, pacing and power. A friend who had always thought the piece was akin to note-spinning was riveted, watching the group scale peak after precisely-gauged peak. I’ll be thinking about this concert for years.

Bruce Hodges