Symphony’s opener exhilarating
Cellist Lynn Harrell’s performance makes for memorable program
With a powerful appearance by cellist Lynn Harrell, Saturday’s season-opening concert by the Symphony Silicon Valley became a special event.
Joining conductor John Nelson and the orchestra in Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1 in E-flat major, Harrell gave the kind of impassioned performance that turns an ordinary program into a truly memorable one.
Saturday’s program, which marked the start of Symphony Silicon Valley’s 15th season, also included Brahms’ Symphony No. 4 in E minor and Berlioz’s Overture to “Le Corsaire.”
Still, it was the Shostakovich concerto that emerged as the evening’s dazzling highlight.
Written for cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, who premiered it in 1959, the score is relatively short — about 30 minutes — but it’s packed with musical invention and emotional weight. Under Nelson’s direction, it made a brilliant showpiece for Harrell, whose interpretive gifts blend technical virtuosity with a probing depth of feeling.
With Nelson setting an energized tempo, Harrell etched the first movement’s distinctive four-note motif with assurance. The orchestra, sounding well-rehearsed and fully engaged, supported the soloist with propulsive sound — insistent woodwinds, fierce pizzicato strings. It’s amazing how modern this movement still sounds; more than 50 years after its first performance, one might be forgiven for mistaking it for a work by a contemporary composer.
The remaining three movements, played without a pause, were just as exhilarating. Principal hornist Meredith Brown contributed sublime solo work in the second movement, marked “Moderato,” and the woodwinds voiced with eloquence. The third movement, an unaccompanied cadenza, found Harrell playing with deep, meditative focus.
The finale was simply marvelous. Shostakovich’s acerbic dance tunes place the woodwinds in the spotlight, and with Nelson urging his players on, Harrell led the ensemble on a pulsepounding progress to the double bar.
Harrell returned for a single encore, an exquisite traversal of Chopin’s Nocturne in C-sharp minor in a transcription for unaccompanied cello.
Nelson’s program also yielded a beautiful orchestral performance of Brahms’ Fourth Symphony. The conductor took a spacious view of the opening movement, eliciting its melodic richness and lyrical warmth in a reading that never lacked for a strong rhythmic profile. The Andante unfolded at a leisurely pace and was the more eloquent for it. The Scherzo surged with energy, the woodwinds once again coming to the fore; with principal flutist Maria Tamburrino sounding firstrate in the finale’s lovely flute solo, Nelson brought the performance to a glowing close.
The “Corsaire” overture set the evening’s inspired tone. Nelson led a brisk, characterful performance, one that showed the orchestra to great advantage. The massed strings sounded bracingly united, and the brass players demonstrated that they can hold their own with those in any regional orchestra.
Saturday’s performances were just one indication of the symphony’s robust health. The orchestra has five additional subscription programs on the 2016-17 season. Next on the schedule is “Grand Old Russia,” featuring pianist Nikolai Demidenko performing Scriabin’s Piano Concerto. Performances are Oct. 2223; Edvard Tchivzhel conducts.
Two special events complete the season — a “Harry Potter” concert Oct. 29-30, and Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker,” featuring stars of the Moscow Ballet accompanied by the orchestra under conductor George Daugherty. For details, visit www.symphonysiliconvalley.org.