BEETHOVEN'S NINTH
José Luis Gomez, conductor
Maria Brea, soprano
Kelley O’Connor, mezzo-soprano*
Richard Trey Smagur, tenor
Kelly Markgraf, baritone
Tucson Symphony Orchestra Chorus · Marcela Molina, Director
PROGRAM
Richard Wagner: Prelude to The Mastersingers of Nuremberg
Richard Wagner: Wesendonck Lieder*
Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No. 9, “Choral”
Friday, 20 January 2023
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| Friedrich Schiller |
By northern Sonora Desert standards, it is a cold Friday evening in mid-late January. And despite multiple highly transmissible viruses on the loose, close to 2000, mostly long-in-the-tooth, well-musically and culturally educated ladies and gentlemen are quickly filling the Linda Ronstadt Music Hall at the Tucson Convention Center. As well, savvy Tucson Symphony marketers promoted this concert as a great Dress-up Date Night, and those diverse twenty, thirty, and forty-somethings represented well in house.
PRELUDE TO THE MEISTERSINGERS OF NUREMBURG
It is worth noting that Die Meistersinger was Wagner's turning point. His signature Music Drama "continuous melody" method is here abandoned (in the opera, but not in this previously-composed Prelude). Master Singer, Hans Sachs, the opera's cobbler/poet anti-hero, specifically, musically, and sarcastically cracks back at the "tragedy" of Tristan und Isolde--Wagner's signature "Life without (desperate) Love equals Death" tale of the deliciously and deliriously forbidden. Twenty years after being banned from Germany for participating in the 1849 socialist Dresden Uprising, Wagner was finally back home. Riding and clinging to the wave of Die Meistersinger's popularity, Wagner now embraced German nationalism, strident anti-semitism, and promoted simplistic Christian religiosity (in Parsifal). The philosopher, Frederick Nietzsche, a longtime close Wagner insider, recoiled in disgust at these pivots, publishing two scathing denunciations of Wagner's new music and politics as obsequious, immoral, anti-truth, and "anti-life decadence". And while modern listeners rightly assess the musical value of such works independently of the circumstances surrounding their composition--especially pure instrumental music--the rupture here, laid out in detail by Nietzsche, stretched well into the 20th century, and even beyond.
WESENDONCK LIEDER
The rapturous evocation and celebration of universal brotherhood, penned in 1785 by Friedrich Schiller, and set for gigantic musical forces in 1824 by Beethoven, the Ode to Joy is a spiritual embrace of the Enlightenment; the idea that all human progress is made possible through Reason, which within the public sphere can be forged only through democratic processes, as opposed to obedience and servitude to the whims of monarchy and aristocracy. By 1820, Beethoven's hope for massive, positive, socioeconomic change had been dashed by decades of stubbornly disappointing reality. Fretting over the no-doubts-admitted positivity of its message, this tortured soul carefully introduces the Ode to Joy, musically and in his version of the text, as having been arrived at only through great and still unresolved difficulties. In spite of his doubts about the message--or maybe because of those doubts--Beethoven put literally everything into this effort. To emulate "we (must) all come together", every conceivable musical form is enjoined to express this spirit-wide-open universal embrace, resulting in a creative monument like no other.
It is no small irony that this disappointed child of Enlightenment insight, became the model and inspirational touchstone to launch the era of artistic hero worship; mediums of the divine! And yet, the man whose allegiance was to Reason, did write, "I must despise the world that does not know that music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy." Those who came after, including Wagner--potently spurred on by Artur Schopenhauer's philosophical/aesthetic analysis of Beethoven's symphonies--followed this insight, and not his dedication to the view that reason, not inspiration, was the only viable means to achieve social progress.
The opening Allegro ma non troppo is one of the most powerful declarative statements ever conceived and corralled into sonata allegro form, with several structural and thematic surprises heightening the already “heavy Earth, with an eye towards Heaven” emotional content of the movement. This is one of Beethoven's most comprehensively worked out symphonic compositions. That the outsized boldness of its initial declarations is somehow musically balanced by its counter themes, inspires awe. And that particular balancing of sharp intensity with suddenly fluid, florid relief is one trait and technique of Beethoven which Brahms assimilated and further advanced in exaggeration--see the emotionally agogic resets in the final few minutes of the Passacaglia Finale of Brahms 4th Symphony. That out of nowhere, Beethoven introduces a dwindling dirge--why?--into this movement's coda, which is then summarily stomped into its own grave as the drama concludes, sends my spine ashiver every time I hear it. Maestro Gomez guided the TSO through this masterpiece more swiftly than most modern listeners are accustomed--on par with Beethoven’s own metronome marking: quarter note = 88! My reaction was that this true-to-the-composer pace kept the airy second theme from drifting too far astray, thus helping hold the dramatic narrative intact. Commenting at the time on the immense success of the Berlin premier of his Ninth, Beethoven reportedly growled, "That's because they followed my metronome markings!"
The famous and/or infamous Molto vivace / Presto, another celebrated and highly unique Beethoven creation, is a wonder of perpetual motion--dramatically punctuated with startling pauses and cut-offs. With music so extremely familiar, it is impossible to not anticipate what is about to happen. Yet a lithe performance can turn that foreknowledge into a moment-by-moment delight. Here, rhythmic precision and fresh, alert timing of the breaks and pauses riveted my attention. This was excellent work; an invigorating, crystalline gem of tight ensemble.
PRELUDE TO THE MEISTERSINGERS OF NUREMBURG
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| Richard Wagner |
This maiden voyage for Maestro José Luis Gomez' with Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg - Vorspiel, from Richard Wagner, that all-time heavyweight among Romantic Era composers, was spectacular. The tempo was judicious; neither plodding nor rushed. The energy, both in tutti and its instrumental groupings, was bursting. The horn playing was excellent. The woodwinds, extra busy between tuttis, were outstanding. The strings held their own in the midst of heavy Wagnerian orchestral layering and chaos, and tough-for-high-strings music hall acoustics. The allargandi, surging build-ups, and the unforgettable fughetta which ignites the soaring recapitulation, were skillfully sculpted and emphatically stated. The pounding climaxes hit hard, bringing this power-packed program opener to a deeply satisfying close. I was blown away--ready to jump from my seat in ovation! Then I realized, as others appeared pleased yet not piqued, much less overjoyed, that this audience was mostly here for a Ninth of Beethoven. Okay, then.
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| Friedrich Nietzsche |
WESENDONCK LIEDER
The Wesendonck Lieder for piano and voice, staged here in an intimate, late 20th Century chamber orchestration--one instrument per part--was the result of mutual passions, consummated or not, between Wagner and Mathilde Wesendonck, wife of one of his patrons, from five poems she had penned for the composer. Written while Wagner was working on Tristan und Isolde, a magnifying glass is taken to the far-inward-flung visions and trance-like states triggered in the arousal and journey of forbidden love’s passions. Did this scenario help power the heady intoxication pulsing through Tristan?
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| Kelly O'Connor |
These songs of longing, agony, passion, loneliness, and spiritual if not physical death, found life in this deeply empathic, in-character reading by mezzo-soprano Kelly O’Connor. The heavy melancholy, subtlety delineated images, and too-sharp internal reflections conveyed through the interplay of metaphor, projection, and personal revelation is a daunting, full-being challenge that was here most generously fulfilled by the soloist. Bravi! Maestro Gomez and this TSO chamber ensemble rendered the atmospherics for these aching utterances with steady, supple support. The players blossomed in the recitation of their lines, giving director José Luis easy reins to grade and shade Henze's striking sonorities. These are not encore, bravura type pieces--almost the opposite. Warmly applauding, many eventually arose to in appreciation of this ear-opening rendition of a unique set and setting of songs.
BEETHOVEN - NINTH SYMPHONY
 |
| Ludwig van Beethoven |
It is no small irony that this disappointed child of Enlightenment insight, became the model and inspirational touchstone to launch the era of artistic hero worship; mediums of the divine! And yet, the man whose allegiance was to Reason, did write, "I must despise the world that does not know that music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy." Those who came after, including Wagner--potently spurred on by Artur Schopenhauer's philosophical/aesthetic analysis of Beethoven's symphonies--followed this insight, and not his dedication to the view that reason, not inspiration, was the only viable means to achieve social progress.
THE PERFORMANCE
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| José Luis Gomez |
Reflecting on his second run with the Ode to Joy, Maestro José points simply to feeling more poised. From a director who most always appears quite poised, I sensed in this performance an ease with the commitment to executing an interpretation focused on the inherent fury, drive, and drama of the message; in this case, as the foundation and means to approach and realize the wild, upcoming, oncoming odyssey and climactic poetic exaltation. No hesitation. The musical and dramatic elements--truly vast in this setting of joyous prose--were all, by means of great awareness and direction, well in hand.
The opening Allegro ma non troppo is one of the most powerful declarative statements ever conceived and corralled into sonata allegro form, with several structural and thematic surprises heightening the already “heavy Earth, with an eye towards Heaven” emotional content of the movement. This is one of Beethoven's most comprehensively worked out symphonic compositions. That the outsized boldness of its initial declarations is somehow musically balanced by its counter themes, inspires awe. And that particular balancing of sharp intensity with suddenly fluid, florid relief is one trait and technique of Beethoven which Brahms assimilated and further advanced in exaggeration--see the emotionally agogic resets in the final few minutes of the Passacaglia Finale of Brahms 4th Symphony. That out of nowhere, Beethoven introduces a dwindling dirge--why?--into this movement's coda, which is then summarily stomped into its own grave as the drama concludes, sends my spine ashiver every time I hear it. Maestro Gomez guided the TSO through this masterpiece more swiftly than most modern listeners are accustomed--on par with Beethoven’s own metronome marking: quarter note = 88! My reaction was that this true-to-the-composer pace kept the airy second theme from drifting too far astray, thus helping hold the dramatic narrative intact. Commenting at the time on the immense success of the Berlin premier of his Ninth, Beethoven reportedly growled, "That's because they followed my metronome markings!"
The famous and/or infamous Molto vivace / Presto, another celebrated and highly unique Beethoven creation, is a wonder of perpetual motion--dramatically punctuated with startling pauses and cut-offs. With music so extremely familiar, it is impossible to not anticipate what is about to happen. Yet a lithe performance can turn that foreknowledge into a moment-by-moment delight. Here, rhythmic precision and fresh, alert timing of the breaks and pauses riveted my attention. This was excellent work; an invigorating, crystalline gem of tight ensemble.
The Adagio molto e cantabile is not really a weak link in this opus, yet may seem so because it provides the only substantive space for reflection; an extended flow of sweet harmonies through its patiently progressing double variations. It is a finely crafted adagio, in the midst what is otherwise a monument of high contrast intensity. As I am partial to the woodwind timbres as they rise into the Linda Ronstadt Music Hall, their interplay here with strings and horns made this respite before the oncoming upheaval all the more welcome.
In both structure and content, Beethoven's setting of the Ode to Joy is, in and of itself, a monster; difficult to perform for everyone involved, no matter what, when, or who. The vocal writing, much of either it sung over orchestra, or in a cappella duets or independently-voiced quartet, is awkward at best, and demanding enough as to be nearly impossible to convincingly execute, save for by a few dedicated virtuosi. In this performance, the voice of soprano Marisa Brea stood out for the ease, power, and clarity of her delivery. The choral writing is also quite challenging, yet holds the distinct advantage that their lines function as full orchestral instruments, which soon become pure magic, enabling, among other highlights, the climactic double fugue for chorus and orchestra--a brilliant conception of stunning contrapuntal craftmanship, striking originality, and the emphatic declarative setting of its philosophical message. Maestro Gomez’ clear, confident, detailed, and polished direction here gives evidence of a director who thrives on harnessing and navigating the largest and most chaotic of musical forces--a blessing for Tucson audiences. The reward, hard-earned, was an orchestra, soloists, and chorus executing at a very high level. I reveled in this experience. On the surface, José Luis' Beethoven tempi are swift. Yet the method to this madness is that it raises the potential amplitude of expression, exaggerating Beethoven’s many little surprises and moments of pointed emphasis. Applied to the composer who said, “To play a wrong note is insignificant, to play without passion is inexcusable.”, I can only imagine Herr Beethoven admiring this steady, studied dedication from an interpreter. In many ways the Ode to Joy was and still is an extreme high wire act. Yet this evening, the Ninth of Beethoven was so well organized and executed as to appear almost matter-of-fact. Beethoven's artistic revolution is still a matter of fact!
Everything a longtime listener of Beethoven's 9th might want to hear or experience, was there tonight to receive and luxuriate in its bear hug embrace. If you had never heard Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, or not heard it live before, this performance could easily trigger a new awakening. Beethoven, the revolutionary, still reaches us; direct, deep, broad, brilliant, complex, undeniable, insuperable, and on this night, supremely uplifting. Take that, two hundred years of often overbearing and needlessly magnified interpretations. Bravi tutti!
The crowd went crazy at the exhilarating conclusion, letting out their very well-earned cheers and adulation. The experience of hearing dedicated professional musicians perform so well ensemble, always warms my heart, a gift I savor and celebrate. This program was a smashing success, drawing a long, joyous ovation for the fine performance. Thank you, Maestro, Tucson Symphony Orchestra, TSO Chorus, and vocal soloists. Thank you, Beethoven, and to all who came after!
~ Steven Gendel
HEAR IT - Humanity's Expressive Artists Reveal & Illuminate Truth
In both structure and content, Beethoven's setting of the Ode to Joy is, in and of itself, a monster; difficult to perform for everyone involved, no matter what, when, or who. The vocal writing, much of either it sung over orchestra, or in a cappella duets or independently-voiced quartet, is awkward at best, and demanding enough as to be nearly impossible to convincingly execute, save for by a few dedicated virtuosi. In this performance, the voice of soprano Marisa Brea stood out for the ease, power, and clarity of her delivery. The choral writing is also quite challenging, yet holds the distinct advantage that their lines function as full orchestral instruments, which soon become pure magic, enabling, among other highlights, the climactic double fugue for chorus and orchestra--a brilliant conception of stunning contrapuntal craftmanship, striking originality, and the emphatic declarative setting of its philosophical message. Maestro Gomez’ clear, confident, detailed, and polished direction here gives evidence of a director who thrives on harnessing and navigating the largest and most chaotic of musical forces--a blessing for Tucson audiences. The reward, hard-earned, was an orchestra, soloists, and chorus executing at a very high level. I reveled in this experience. On the surface, José Luis' Beethoven tempi are swift. Yet the method to this madness is that it raises the potential amplitude of expression, exaggerating Beethoven’s many little surprises and moments of pointed emphasis. Applied to the composer who said, “To play a wrong note is insignificant, to play without passion is inexcusable.”, I can only imagine Herr Beethoven admiring this steady, studied dedication from an interpreter. In many ways the Ode to Joy was and still is an extreme high wire act. Yet this evening, the Ninth of Beethoven was so well organized and executed as to appear almost matter-of-fact. Beethoven's artistic revolution is still a matter of fact!
Everything a longtime listener of Beethoven's 9th might want to hear or experience, was there tonight to receive and luxuriate in its bear hug embrace. If you had never heard Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, or not heard it live before, this performance could easily trigger a new awakening. Beethoven, the revolutionary, still reaches us; direct, deep, broad, brilliant, complex, undeniable, insuperable, and on this night, supremely uplifting. Take that, two hundred years of often overbearing and needlessly magnified interpretations. Bravi tutti!
The crowd went crazy at the exhilarating conclusion, letting out their very well-earned cheers and adulation. The experience of hearing dedicated professional musicians perform so well ensemble, always warms my heart, a gift I savor and celebrate. This program was a smashing success, drawing a long, joyous ovation for the fine performance. Thank you, Maestro, Tucson Symphony Orchestra, TSO Chorus, and vocal soloists. Thank you, Beethoven, and to all who came after!
~ Steven Gendel
HEAR IT - Humanity's Expressive Artists Reveal & Illuminate Truth
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