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| Anne-Marie McDermott |
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| James Judd |
2 November 2018:
McDERMOTT FINDS MOZART'S PATHOS
Anne-Marie McDermott is a very versatile pianist. Tucsonans have known and admired her performances with Arizona Friends of Chamber Music for over twenty years. In a revelation of power, passion, and pathos, before recording the complete, heavyweight Prokofiev Piano Sonatas in 2009, she performed all of them in succession in Tucson over several consecutive days. Her discography of both solo and chamber works stretches from Bach to the moderns, including Mozart, Schumann, Brahms, Scriabin, and celebrated contemporary composer Charles Wuorinen.
Last night, crisp and clear, McDermott's performance of Mozart's Piano Concerto #27 was not dainty. And for this last of Mozart's concerti, the ensemble is quite small, which made for a great overall balance of sound. For Mozart, this concerto is very lyrical and less filled with complexities than his great ones just preceding it, and hence its ornamental virtuosic flourishes seem to stand out more. When she arrived at the first movement cadenza, Anne-Marie came to full attention, assuming the classic pose of an early 19th Century virtuoso who had suddenly achieved her opportunity to shine under the spotlight! This impressive, subtle touch of showmanship by McDermott, perfectly served its purpose of riveting attention to the soloist and her extremely captivating "voice" and awareness in the musical dialogue -- delicious. The featured first and final movement cadenzas seemed to me so strident that I first thought that she had written them herself. Was she channeling Beethoven or maybe Chopin? She certainly owned these cadenzas, in both technique and style of expression. Then I realized that these are the cadenzas Mozart had written out -- Wow!
Overall, while all of the home keys are major, there is an undercurrent of sadness or even melancholy. And there is clear thematic continuation between the second and third movements -- not at all common in Mozart. One of the great beauties of the final movement Rondo, easily the most singable, infectious melody, is the highly dramatic and extended final Cadenza. As it concludes, the piano simply restates, solo, the Rondo theme, exactly as the movement opened, thus seamlessly rejoining the orchestra for the Coda and final cadence. McDermott's timing and sense of drama in carrying the lead voice was impeccable. An excellent performance all the way around!
JAMES JUDD'S ELOQUENT ELGAR
Edward Elgar is quoted as saying that his Second Symphony was the baring of his soul. Considered in this light, his soul is being stretched and pulled. He is examining it and exposing it in long, drawn-out layers of thought and emotion. From its opening moments, in a symphony scored for giant orchestra, all sections are quite busy in a broadly sketched and highly detailed weave of rhythms and textures. There is a certain "endless melody" technique and feel in play throughout most of the work, creating an oceanic effect, of waves ever rising and subsiding. Occasionally they crest in a fit of tension, and never the same. In all movements except the Rondo, short rhythms become motifs, literally permeating the ubiquitous presence of the very long passages of this sprawling work. The style is just post-Romantic, in a language that is not highly dissonant, yet gently pulls at traditional tonal harmony as its layers of sound slide against each other.
It is obvious how much British conductor James Judd loves this music. Relatively sparing in his general conducting style, he opened up for the broad sweeping strokes, to guide and caress the long-awaited waves of climax throughout this work. And in the final movement's long, sensuous, pianissimo section -- the most dramatically riveting of the symphony -- Judd held the hushed tension as one who has lived within the work -- somewhat serene and absolutely sublime. This guest conductor also brought a very unusual stage layout for the orchestra. Basses stage Right, Harps stage Left (both switched), First Violins in swelled numbers, with thinned out Second Violins at Stage Left, Violas on their right, and Cellos directly in front of the Conductor. Not sure if this was simply the Maestro's preference, or a special adaptation to cavernous acoustics of the TCC Music Hall. And while the forms within the movements of this monumental work are somewhat of an Enigma, this unique stage set-up was extremely successful.
Elgar's Second Symphony is truly a virtuoso orchestral work. Bruckner and Sibelius have here been distilled and then magnified. And the Tucson Symphony Orchestra gave a thoroughly commanding performance. The woodwinds must handle the most turbulent currents in this surging sea; highly rhythmically detailed and almost non-stop. The strings are the glue holding together Elgar's endless melodies; always dying away, yet always connecting to a new line's beginning. Violins and Cellos deliver the most romantic melodic elements, yet must duel against powerful, syncopated horn lines and a contrapuntal choir of low brass. I am not sure I have ever seen every section of the orchestra work continuously this hard for this long. Special kudos to all of our talented wind instrument Principals and sections! The promise of James Judd having the talented, responsive home orchestra of his good friend, José Luis Gomez' at his fingertips for this epic work, was joyously fulfilled, for both Maestro and audience, with this superb performance.
~ Steven Gendel
HEAR IT:
Humanity's Expressive Artists Reveal & Illuminate Truth
Last night, crisp and clear, McDermott's performance of Mozart's Piano Concerto #27 was not dainty. And for this last of Mozart's concerti, the ensemble is quite small, which made for a great overall balance of sound. For Mozart, this concerto is very lyrical and less filled with complexities than his great ones just preceding it, and hence its ornamental virtuosic flourishes seem to stand out more. When she arrived at the first movement cadenza, Anne-Marie came to full attention, assuming the classic pose of an early 19th Century virtuoso who had suddenly achieved her opportunity to shine under the spotlight! This impressive, subtle touch of showmanship by McDermott, perfectly served its purpose of riveting attention to the soloist and her extremely captivating "voice" and awareness in the musical dialogue -- delicious. The featured first and final movement cadenzas seemed to me so strident that I first thought that she had written them herself. Was she channeling Beethoven or maybe Chopin? She certainly owned these cadenzas, in both technique and style of expression. Then I realized that these are the cadenzas Mozart had written out -- Wow!
Overall, while all of the home keys are major, there is an undercurrent of sadness or even melancholy. And there is clear thematic continuation between the second and third movements -- not at all common in Mozart. One of the great beauties of the final movement Rondo, easily the most singable, infectious melody, is the highly dramatic and extended final Cadenza. As it concludes, the piano simply restates, solo, the Rondo theme, exactly as the movement opened, thus seamlessly rejoining the orchestra for the Coda and final cadence. McDermott's timing and sense of drama in carrying the lead voice was impeccable. An excellent performance all the way around!
JAMES JUDD'S ELOQUENT ELGAR
Edward Elgar is quoted as saying that his Second Symphony was the baring of his soul. Considered in this light, his soul is being stretched and pulled. He is examining it and exposing it in long, drawn-out layers of thought and emotion. From its opening moments, in a symphony scored for giant orchestra, all sections are quite busy in a broadly sketched and highly detailed weave of rhythms and textures. There is a certain "endless melody" technique and feel in play throughout most of the work, creating an oceanic effect, of waves ever rising and subsiding. Occasionally they crest in a fit of tension, and never the same. In all movements except the Rondo, short rhythms become motifs, literally permeating the ubiquitous presence of the very long passages of this sprawling work. The style is just post-Romantic, in a language that is not highly dissonant, yet gently pulls at traditional tonal harmony as its layers of sound slide against each other.
It is obvious how much British conductor James Judd loves this music. Relatively sparing in his general conducting style, he opened up for the broad sweeping strokes, to guide and caress the long-awaited waves of climax throughout this work. And in the final movement's long, sensuous, pianissimo section -- the most dramatically riveting of the symphony -- Judd held the hushed tension as one who has lived within the work -- somewhat serene and absolutely sublime. This guest conductor also brought a very unusual stage layout for the orchestra. Basses stage Right, Harps stage Left (both switched), First Violins in swelled numbers, with thinned out Second Violins at Stage Left, Violas on their right, and Cellos directly in front of the Conductor. Not sure if this was simply the Maestro's preference, or a special adaptation to cavernous acoustics of the TCC Music Hall. And while the forms within the movements of this monumental work are somewhat of an Enigma, this unique stage set-up was extremely successful.
Elgar's Second Symphony is truly a virtuoso orchestral work. Bruckner and Sibelius have here been distilled and then magnified. And the Tucson Symphony Orchestra gave a thoroughly commanding performance. The woodwinds must handle the most turbulent currents in this surging sea; highly rhythmically detailed and almost non-stop. The strings are the glue holding together Elgar's endless melodies; always dying away, yet always connecting to a new line's beginning. Violins and Cellos deliver the most romantic melodic elements, yet must duel against powerful, syncopated horn lines and a contrapuntal choir of low brass. I am not sure I have ever seen every section of the orchestra work continuously this hard for this long. Special kudos to all of our talented wind instrument Principals and sections! The promise of James Judd having the talented, responsive home orchestra of his good friend, José Luis Gomez' at his fingertips for this epic work, was joyously fulfilled, for both Maestro and audience, with this superb performance.
~ Steven Gendel
HEAR IT:
Humanity's Expressive Artists Reveal & Illuminate Truth
What was the encore piece Ms. McDermott played at the matinee Sunday? I was not able to hear what she said before taking her seat after the ovation, but would love to know, as it was beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI was there Friday, and believe she performed the opening movement of Bach's English Suite #3. Funny, because Midori performed opening movement of the Bach Partita #3 as an encore the week before!!!
ReplyDelete