Toronto Symphony Orchestra: Olga Neuwirth: Dreydl; György Ligeti: Violin Concerto (Jonathan Crow, soloist); Tansy Davies: Plumes; Beethoven: Symphony No. 7. Gustavo Gimeno, conductor, at Roy Thomson Hall, Oct. 25, 2023. Repeats Oct. 28 (8 p.m.) and Oct. 29 (3 p.m.); tickets here.
Gustavo Gimeno has pursued a policy of modernizing and internationalizing Toronto Symphony Orchestra programs since his arrival as music director in 2020. The strategy seems to be working. On Wednesday there was a big, enthusiastic and demographically motley crowd in Roy Thomson Hall.
The highlight of the evening was György Ligeti’s Violin Concerto with TSO concertmaster Jonathan Crow in the title role. Mostly dissonant when it is not too odd to be described in tonal terms at all, this half-hour work, finalized in 1993, is a classic of avant-garde invention. Off-kilter scordatura tuning, faux-Renaissance ostinato, folkish polyrhythms and a chorus of ocarinas are some of the effects that emerge from the squad of 26 players, each of whom has something to say.
The soloist also has strange moments but functions overall as a stabilizing force. Masterly as a technician, Crow was equally adept as an advocate of quiet music. One had the impression of listening to an elder whose wisdom is paradoxically amplified by simplicity and understatement. It was a wonderful performance and a fitting tribute to the late Hungarian composer in his centenary year.
Earlier we were subjected to the Canadian premiere of Dreydl by Olga Neuwirth, an Austrian of perplexing renown. Never mind the spinning top of Hanukkah fame. This 11-minute fortissimo bangfest was evocative of nothing but itself. “Time passing without any concrete goal,” was how Gimeno put it, all too accurately, in his spoken comments from the stage.
After intermission came the North American premiere of Plumes by the English composer Tansy Davies, who was present to take a bow. Said to be inspired by a view of the river Tyne, the five-minute piece successfully brought to mind its subject at the start with undulations in the lower strings. Dense but mobile, the music did not outstay its welcome.
In the concluding symphonic slot, Gimeno offered a lean, mean and (mostly) clean rendition of Beethoven’s Seventh. Rhythmic elements were dominant; horizontal lyricism was secondary. The opening chords had a shrill, top-down quality. Tempos were fast, which would be fine had they been suitably inflected. “Train to catch?” was the comment of one perceptive listener.
The audience applauded everything robustly, including the Neuwirth. Happily, there was no clapping between movements. There was a healthy cohort in the choir loft. The positive effect of seeing people in these seats is hard to overstate.
There are repeat performances on Saturday and Sunday, the latter in George Weston Recital Hall.
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