KVT – Bourdoncle, Brahms and Bravos

KVT is glad that Brahms is cycling into town

Before I get into praising Michel Bourdoncle’s return visit to the Opera House I’ll do a bit of PR for the Vietnam Symphony Orchestra.

They’ve produced a really easy to use handbook that outlines their extensive program this year. Its an invaluable resource for classical music lovers. They (the programs, not the lovers) might be available at the Opera House ticket selling booth.

When you peruse the booklet you realize how prominently the Japanese community features in official patronage of the orchestra.

Anyway I made a big mistake this week and went along on the first night to hear excellent French pianist, Michel Bourdoncle scintillatingly play Brahms Piano Concerto No 1….big mistake because first night is often camera night and there it was… a monster TV camera on its tripod in the middle of the aisle, level with F row, insistently clicking away all night (I really feel for those patrons who’ve paid 500 000 for a good seat only to find their view for the whole performance obstructed by a cameraman’s wriggling bum). Then there was a snap-happy monkey with a digital bounding all over the place during the beautiful Adagio movement, managing to take our attention away from some of the most sensitive portions of Bourdoncle’s interpretation of Brahms’ hymn of adoration to Clara Schumann.

Lots of writers insist that Brahms composed the concerto as an emotional response to the attempted suicide of his friend and advocate, composer Robert Schumann … who died not long after. (Some meaner souls whisper that perhaps Schumann jumped into the Rhine because he discovered that Brahms was having an affair with Clara). The long and intense, 25-minute first movement is aptly described by web critic, Paul Serotsky as …. ‘running from vehement turmoil through regret, aggression, and feather-light rippling to culminate in a brutally hammered climax.’ And Bourdoncle did it full justice. It’s a dramatic movement and timpanist Nguyen Nhat Quang led us into it with prolonged flair. It’s one of those movements that gives the timpanist a chance to shine. The orchestra warmed up to top gear about the same time as Bourdoncle touched the keys.

It would be interesting to know if excellent pianists such as Bourdoncle seat themselves at the piano for this piece with all of the drama and pathos of Brahms’ youthful infatuations and adorations in the forefront of their interpretive minds.

The long concerto doesn’t give the soloist much chance to rest after he launches into his first crescendo, about 4 minutes into the first movement, until the horns herald his last thrilling runs before he leaves it to the full orchestra to thunder to a close 48 minutes later. It makes you realize why the concerto is an essential in the repertoire of all major concert pianists and Michel Bourdoncle is certainly one of these.

After interval, conductor Honna led the VNSO through a nice playing of Brahms Symphony No 1 with another emphasising timpanic lead in. This symphony was initially labelled by the critics of the day as Beethoven’s 10th. And when it was pointed out that some parts bore a resemblance to Beethoven’s 5th, and that the main theme of the finale was remininiscent of the great man’s 9th, Brahms retorted that any ass could see that!

I read once that the woodwinds play a big role in a Brahms orchestra and that the flutes and bassoons as used by him are his signature sound, so throughout the night it was interesting to pay attention to this. Honna drew audience attention to them at the conclusion of the symphony…as he did to orchestra leader Le Hoang Lan due to her beautiful solo playing in the second movement where she draws its conclusion to a sustained whispering echo. The horns were also able to show themselves to good advantage.

When the orchestra got stuck into that gorgeous last movement (that does seem to pay homage to Ludwig’s 9th ) you start to feel all gooey inside…it’s one of those pieces that you never tire of with its delicious repetitions of the alpine shepherds’ tune which is as instantly recognizable as are chocolate-coated Tim Tams are in an Australian supermarket. The ending is enough to make the hairs rise on the back of your neck. When it came to its close the audience gave Honna and the players well deserved and prolonged applause.

For some reason I didn’t get around to hugely appreciating Johannes Brahms until fairly recently. Must be something to do with my early music appreciation education at high school. Our teacher avoided Brahms like a good cook avoids lumpy gravy so I’m glad that the VNSO is starting its Brahms Cycle so that my education can be ratcheted up a notch or two and I certainly hope I’m around in 2013 when they play his Double Concerto for Cello, Violin and orchestra.