After seeing James Levine pull off some real miracles up at Tanglewood over the past few summers, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised at the sight of a crack student orchestra playing as well as some professional ensembles. Especially when that orchestra is made up of students from Juilliard. But tonight's concert by the Juilliard Orchestra at Alice Tully Hall, led by Esa-Pekka Salonen in his only NYC appearance this season, was something else altogether: an electric conductor (and composer) still in the prime of his career, combined with a group of students literally bursting out of their chairs with energy.
They opened with Sibelius' Pohjola's Daughter: a fantasy filled with dark, moody textures that Salonen conducted with deep familiarity: this is music that runs in his blood. After the piece faded away, Salonen held the silence for what seemed like an eternity, the packed hall remaining perfectly still.
Beethoven's 7th – written 200 years ago this month – provided a perfect foil for the orchestra: not overly challenging on the surface, but with lots of tricky swings in tempo and volume (turned up a notch by Salonen). As the symphony hurtled on, Salonen took on the appearance of a man posessed, snapping his baton fiercely, as if Beethoven himself had taken over his body. The kids followed his every move all the way through the finale, which they played fast and furious without ever losing control (save for some occasional flubs in the wind section). In all the times I've heard Beethoven 7 over the years, I've never heard it sound more thrilling – or vital. I can only imagine what the kids must have thought, feeling the wind from Salonen's writhing.
Oh, and did I mention the concert was free? See below or the Juilliard website for more info on other upcoming concerts. More pics on the photo page.
| Wednesday, April 18, 2012 | Juilliard Orchestra; Emmanuel Villaume, conductor; Avery Fisher Hall WAGNER Lohengrin: Prelude to Act I BERLIOZ Les Nuits d'été, Opus 7 INTERMISSION STRAUSS Eine Alpensinfonie, Opus 64 |
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| Wednesday, April 25, 2012 | Juilliard Orchestra and Juilliard Opera; Gary Thor Wedow, conductor; Peter Jay Sharp Theater MOZART Don Giovanni, K. 527 |
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| Thursday, May 3, 2012 | Juilliard Orchestra; Robert Spano, conductor; Alice Tully Hall VIVIER Orion BARTÓK Suite from The Miraculous Mandarin, Opus 19 INTERMISSION VIVIER Lonely Child for Soprano and Chamber Orchestra SIBELIUS Symphony No. 7 in C major, Opus 105 |
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| Thursday, May 24, 2012 | Juilliard Orchestra; James DePreist, conductor; Alice Tully Hall VERDI Overture to La forza del destino MENDELSSOHN Symphony no. 4, op. 90, A major, “Italian” INTERMISSION RESPIGHI Feste romane [Roman Festivals] |