A Positive Step For Pittsburgh

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The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is a man without a country at the moment — I mean, an orchestra without a music director. It has gone without since Mariss Jansons left in 2004. The PSO tries to spin this into something positive, claiming that its current setup — a triumvirate of conductors — is “an innovative model for artistic leadership.” Yes, and when the orchestra finally lands a good music director, that will be an even greater positive.

Pittsburgh’s triumvirate consists of Yan Pascal Tortelier, Marek Janowski, and Sir Andrew Davis. It was Sir Andrew who led the orchestra in Carnegie Hall on Tuesday night.

The program began with a Beethoven overture, the “Coriolan.” And what do we want in this piece? Incisiveness, to begin with. And good rhythm, with a proper observation of rests (so important in Beethoven’s music). We want the overture to be both attacking and lyrical, “vertical” and “horizontal.” The tempo should be undragging but generous — spacious enough. Above all, we want a dramatic, gripping experience.

Sir Andrew and the PSO delivered on almost every front. I was a little worried that the conductor would be too laidback for this piece — he’s the type who can give you a genial “Fledermaus.” But he brought intensity. In its execution, this “Coriolan” was not exactly Toscanini tight, and it would have benefited from a bit more focus. The final pizzicatos were off, which was too bad. But this was a fine account.

Next came a new piece, written last year, by the Russian composer Sofia Gubaidulina. It carries the intriguing title “Feast During a Plague,” which comes from Pushkin.

And, of course, because this is a new piece, we had a speech about it beforehand — because no new piece can be played without a speech from the performer. That’s the rule, right? And somehow, audiences and composers take it. They seem not to know that they are being insulted.

Microphone in hand, Sir Andrew told the audience that the Gubaidulina piece was “apocalyptic,” and “not calm,” and “disturbed.” Oddly enough, we could have heard that, if only the orchestra had played it. He also issued some philosophical gobbledygook, of the type you hear from Miss America contestants, when they are expressing their concern for the world. Sir Andrew added that the piece had “a tough message.”

Begging your pardon, it does not — a piece of music has no message, unless it is freighted with words. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise (although try they do, mightily).

When the orchestra finally began playing “Feast During a Plague,” we could hear what it was. It is one of those bleak, end-ofthe-world pieces, with stuttering rhythm and tons of percussion. Someone, somewhere, is writing such a piece every day, maybe every hour. It is a signature of our age.

But, fortunately, the Gubaidulina piece is more than that, with varying sections, including a playful one that you might even call scherzo-like. Toward the end of the piece, there are prerecorded intrusions — of boom-box music. The orchestra plays heedlessly on. Is Ms. Gubaidulina making a criticism of modern popular culture? Unless she tells us explicitly, it is up to the listener to decide.

The piece seems a long one, at almost a half-hour, and Ms. Gubaidulina could perhaps have conveyed her “message” more briefly. But I, for one, would like to hear the piece again, which is higher praise than it sounds.

After intermission, Sir Andrew and the PSO played the Brahms Violin Concerto, with a starry soloist — and a constant presence in New York — Joshua Bell. He came out in the solid-black Mao-like shirt he wears, which has become the uniform for many classical musicians. You could think of it as undertaker casual.

Mr. Bell did not have his best night, although he by no means failed. He is a violinist willing to play Romantic music Romantically, for which one can be grateful. In the first movement of the Brahms, he played some beautiful phrases, rising up on his toes, as he does. He sang the music, more than played it. He was free with his portamento, but never vulgar. And the cadenza had an improvisatory quality, as a cadenza might.

But his tone — his sound — was unusually thin, and not quite Bell-like. Also, his intonation was shaky, which is not Bell-like, either. Moreover, some of his phrasing — some of his interpreting — was far too obvious. We might borrow language from basketball, appropriate for a fiddler from Indiana: Mr. Bell telegraphed some of his passes.

In the slow movement, Mr. Bell’s tone remained thin, and his intonation shaky. Furthermore, the music did not develop organically, and never really transported, as it is certainly capable of doing. But I credit Mr. Bell with not trying to make this movement a lush-in. It actually sounded rather Mozartean — interesting.

The final movement, Mr. Bell dispatched with his typical panache. He lent more musical character than technical polish — but that was A-OK.

Sir Andrew and the Pittsburghers closed the program with Strauss’s merry prankster, Till Eulenspiegel. The piece was decently played — with decent wit, decent color, and decent theatricality. The clarinet was good, appropriately wacked out. The horn did not dazzle, but got through his part. Have I said already that the performance was decent?


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