Music Was in the Air: A Review

By Linda Phillips

Where has this pianist been? In a performance of Robert Schumann’s Piano Concert #1, young Joyce Yang held the audience spellbound and gasping at her absolute command of the keyboard at the Greenwich Symphony Orchestra’s first concert of 2016.

And we collectively blessed the new concert hall at Greenwich High School, which allowed the audience to hear every shading of this performance of the Schumann work, out of favor as a solo vehicle with pianists, but reborn in Greenwich by Ms. Yang. She, incidentally, was a winner of the Van Cliburn Competition in 2005, and has been playing with major orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, since. With the GSO, she graced Greenwich on Jan. 24.

Welcomed by Conductor David Gilbert, who gave his usual introductions to the works, the audience heard the opening Macbeth Symphonic Poem, op. 23 of Richard Wagner, a piece that somehow resists coherent narrative although dripping with drama. Wagner complained that, as a musical progressive, he had been thrown into the “same pot” as composers of program music, and likened to Berlioz and Liszt. He eventually came around to program music as a symphonic form he initially dismissed, and composed many Overtures to literary works. This one, complete with ominous kettle drums symbolizing evil and cellos providing drama, featured the full orchestra with impressive sound, but a solo trumpet that consistently and jarringly missed notes in its solo turns. The work ended with a bang, not a whimper.

Ms. Yang took the stage in a shimmering gold sequin dress to deliver a glittering performance. The Piano Concerto #1 was originally a Fantaisie written for piano by Schumann, but expanded to three movements (well, almost: the Intermezzo and the Allegro vivace elide without a break.)

Opening Allegro Affetuoso (and it was affecting) with a dramatic series of chords, the oboe and woodwinds stated the theme, then went back to a winsome piano. The gorgeous Schumann work included modulations, and the cadenza played by Ms. Yang was technically and artistically astonishing, the closing brilliant and up tempo.

Charming and light, the Intermezzo began playfully. Light, tender and lilting, with cellos underscoring, the piano sotto voce, going directly into the Allegro vivace, in which Ms. Yang showed her virtuosity. Recalling some thematic material from the first movement, the performance was powerful, evocative and nuanced, and surprised with hemiola, a 3-against-2 time that made the movement seem like a march.

Ms. Yang played with perfection, leading to the crescendo climax.

After a standing ovation, she was presented with flowers and the bravos continued.

Excerpts from Isaac Albeniz’s Iberia, a piano work arranged for orchestra by Carlos Surinach, presented musical travelogues in song to four Iberian cities, portraying each’s aura and soul musically. The first, Rondena was filled with lush chords and lovely shading, with violist David Creswell in a viola passage. Redolent of Spain, we visited those cities through lush chords, bells and chimes, a haunting clarinet and melody.

Lavapies was defined by a bassoon and a beat, informed by great drama and a fascinating rhythm, with xylophone featured, and dissonances.

Jerez was sonorous, opening with orchestral colors that were haunting, joined by cymbals and brasses. Always dramatic, it featured a Spanish motif by concertmaster Krystof Wytek, tambourine and tuba sounding. This section was profoundly Spanish, with Mr. Wytek again playing soulfully, the harp sounding thrills. Malaga was begun with a lush horn motif, and a muted horn against cellos. What a musical travelogue!

Conductor Gilbert cited each orchestral section as the audience applauded enthusiastically.

The next concert of the Greenwich Symphony will be on March 12 and 13, and will feature violinist Bella Hriistova in the Delius Violin Concert.

For tickets and information, call 203-869-2664, or go to www.GreenwichSymphony.org.

Photo by LInda Phillips. Joyce Yang takes a break from autographing her CDs following her performance with the Greenwich Symphony Orchestra.