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Reviews of Lance's Tanglewood Festival Chorus Performances |
   
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MUSIC REVIEW A Tanglewood opener with zest
By Richard Dyer, Globe Staff, 7/8/2002
The eminent Spanish conductor returned to the BSO in 2000 after an absence of 29 years and immediately established himself as a great favorite with the players. He returned to Tanglewood last summer and will open the Symphony Hall season next year. For opening night Friday, he chose one of Ozawa's signature pieces, Mahler's ''Resurrection'' Symphony, but he led it in a way that was all his own. Now approaching 70, Fruehbeck is courtly in manner and grandiloquent in gesture, but the years have done nothing to bank the fires of his temperament. He reminded us that Mahler was still a young man of 28 when he began composing the symphony - Fruehbeck's approach was youthful, energetic, and volatile, and the music ran along the nerves. His tempos were nearly always fast, and the interpretation emphasized every element of contrast, juxtaposition, and incongruity in this comprehensive music; yet when repose was called for, Fruehbeck summoned it. There was much delicacy and freedom within the overall fierce discipline that led to an overwhelming finale. The visa for the Italian mezzo Sara Mingardo arrived in the nick of time, and so did she; her delivery of the ''Urlicht'' song was deep-toned and disarmingly direct. Soprano Elizabeth Futral had difficulty in focus ing an operatic warble, but the Tanglewood Festival Chorus was awe-inspiring across the whole dynamic range. The orchestra was not in optimal shape after two months of Pops duty, but it often came through impressively. Fruehbeck is vastly experienced in Mahler, and indeed in every dimension of music; his mastery of form is matched by an extraordinary ability to live in the moment. By comparison, many other performances of the ''Resurrection'' sound embalmed. Fruehbeck was back Saturday night for a beautifully balanced program that was exhilarating in a different way. Violinist Itzhak Perlman looked uncomfortable and perhaps even unwell, but once the music began, he played the Mendelssohn Concerto with infectious enthusiasm and affection, and with many personal touches of rubato; Fruehbeck, veteran of many nights at the opera, knew just how to accommodate him. The violinist's tone sounded thin at the beginning, but he soon established its usual glowing aura. A fleet, songful, and vivacious performance of Mendelssohn's ''Italian'' Symphony began the program, which concluded with Respighi's ''Fountains of Rome'' and ''Pines of Rome.'' Most of these tone poems are not as vulgar as they are frequently made to sound (but no one can help ''The Pines of the Appian Way,'' which sounds more like the Fascist 1930s to come than the Rome of 2000 years ago). The only original quality they have is their fusion of Debussy and Richard Strauss (the ''Rosenkavalier'' chords evoke the Roman dawn), but Respighi knew how to use his materials with uncommon resourcefulness, and he had an amazing ear for orchestral color. The BSO played them sumptuously, and Fruehbeck led them with gusto, which in his case is another word for taste. The Boston Symphony Orchestra Rafael Fruehbeck de Burgos, guest conductor At: Tanglewood, Friday and Saturday nights
This story ran on page D11 of the Boston Globe on 7/8/2002.
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© Copyright 2002 New York Times Company |
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ENOX - Seiji Ozawa is in his final days of his tenure as music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Next weekend brings his gala farewell concerts, so he decided to cede his traditional spot on opening night at Tanglewood to Rafael Fruehbeck de Burgos.
