Rachmaninoff
Piano Concerto N.3 in D minor
Pablo Gonzalez, Conductor
Barcelona Symphony and Catalonia National Orchestra
February 9, 2014
HJ Lim - Rachy III - Pablo Gonzales
This music is insane. The soloist appears possessed. The contrast is sharp between Maestro Gonzales' ingrained traditional interpretation, and HJ's fiery emotional/musical intensity. And in this concerto, where the piano writing dominates the orchestra, HJ can and does take charge. There are passages of great ensemble throughout this performance, though in general, HJ does her thing with Rachmaninoff, leaving Gonzales and the orchestra attempting to keep in step. I believe that Pablo truly wants to dance with HJ here, yet is not quite ready to fully match HJ's emotional presence, spontaneous creativity, tempo elasticity, and dramatic emphases. Many of the orchestral players appear lost, lacking understanding, and uncomfortable with these onstage proceedings. Interpretatively, HJ's hard-earned freedom to sculpt music with great passion, meets Rachmaninoff's full embrace. This is Artist and Muse in full intimate rapport. HJ's first movement 'Ossia Cadenza' is an incredible all-timer of depth, power, and profundity; facing the abyss and staggering through it - truly breathtaking. {10:15 - 12:30} The most compelling dialogues appear in the second movement, after and in between the piano solos. The Finale reverts back to mostly piano with orchestral accompaniment, which is finally overcome in the giant climax ending the concerto, where HJ's presence with the music and her fellow collaborators is absolutely stunning. {37:32 - 38:41} Sergei was certainly in inner revolt - maybe against the perfection and success of his own Second Piano Concerto. In contrast, the Third Concerto contains little of the gorgeous musical/orchestral balance of 'Rachy II', instead pursuing an exhaustive exploration of more deeply personal emotions, and from a unique perspective of pianistic super-virtuosity. Its plethora of cadenzas and little solos dominate the score, breaking up the internal structure of each movement and the continuity of voice, compared with the Second Concerto. The orchestral-only opening and closing of the second movement of the Third, even appear to have been tacked on after work was finished, judging by how, at both ends, the succeeding piano solo flies off into a completely contrasting world of consuming emotional and pianistic content. 'Rachy III' turns outward for only a few passionate outbursts, as all social, bourgeois, and non-internal realities are tolerated only long enough to partake of a few brief sensual encounters. All is NOT fair in Love and War! As these two worlds finally merge into a hard-fought-for consummation, atmospheric echoes of the striving emotional conclusion of the Second Concerto suddenly and powerfully ring through the climactic statements of the Third. These two culminations differ in that the emotional climax of the Second Concerto is a series of even, heavyweight, expressions of longing, while the Third builds up in elongated, syncopated phrases, rising to a highly pointed, poignant moment of passionate overflow, with an echoing retreat. Both concerti follow their emotional climaxes with intensely driving piano endings, characterized by increasing speed and virtuosity. And in fact, the phrase structure of the final statements of these two highly contrasting compositions is exactly identical: a 4-measure Bridge, to a driving 4 by 4-measure pianistic climax/Codetta, and a (weak) second-beat final cadence. The Second Concerto rides powerful, perfectly straight rhythms, through to the finish, while the Third rolls hard and fast, only to syncopate, at the very last moment, into an off-balance, trip-up ending. {38:41 - 38:58}
Despite the clear compositional imbalance between piano and orchestra in this Third Concerto, most of today's highly polished piano virtuosi, and the old masters as well, carefully dance in step with the orchestra. You hear all the notes within some brilliant displays of technique and tone color, and with schemes of building tension. HJ, on the other hand, goes about exploring and illuminating the extreme range and depth of pianistic expression available from her application of a full-bodied instinctive reaction to this, Rachmaninoff's most personal public testimony. Certainly, HJ knows that the orchestra will never integrate fully into this piano-dominated score, and appears to give herself full permission to create a spontaneously interactive interpretation. The result is a fully uninhibited freedom of expression, especially in the grand cadenzas and other solos. HJ's reverent yet lithe spirit, renders sublime surrender to the most tender musical/emotional statements throughout the concerto, revealing a Muse who lives solely for musical expression. {13:16 - 13:59} HJ's Rachmaninoff Third Piano Concerto is intensely powerful, and yet somehow extremely natural. It is dramatically exaggerated, unabashedly independent, and emotionally sensuous. The range of expression here stretches to both horizons, and plumbs all depths. Rachmaninoff's intensely churning soul and desires are laid bare in this on-stage fling, thanks to HJ's genius in being able to stay in close musical/emotional contact. Both the deeply painful and brilliantly sublime elements of Rachmaninoff's amazing journey are courageously met, head and heart on. The Muse challenges her on-stage accomplices to collude in engaging the Artist with a passion equal to his own. And, whether or not conductor and orchestra are both capable and willing to be "in" on this caper, HJ manages to maintain an almost continuous emotional presence throughout her joyous encounter with Sergei. It seems to me that HJ is almost alone in this regard, even in history. Combined with her complete in-depth knowledge of the music and the piano, she finds, creates, stumbles upon, or makes magically appear, musical and pianistic characteristics, present within the music, which other interpreters never arrive at the viewpoint that makes her unique perspective possible. I take great joy in hearing and seeing this innocent Spirit/musical Master do her thing, Many may label and dismiss this as a Wild Child performance. It is wild! And yet quite appropriately so, creating a masterfully complete communion with and communication of the music. HJ Lim is a perfect match for this music - extreme in so many ways.
Comments
Post a Comment