by Zoë Gorman
Photo credit: Richard Termine, The New York Times
Arabella Steinbacher stole a lot of hearts Saturday night at Avery Fisher Hall as she finessed and flourished her way through a stunning rendition of Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in her New York Philharmonic debut.
Steinbacher stamped off her first flawlessly executed solo passage with a triumphant, upward swoop of her bow, as if to say, "Yes, Avery Fisher Hall, I have arrived." The rest of the performance was rife with bow sweeps, full-body dips, and the general feeling that she was having the time of her life. But for all her theatrics, Steinbacher exhibited superb bow control, attacking difficult passages without crunching her sound; the resounding, tuneful themes of the concerto pierced the orchestra with all the light and clarity of a crystalline vase. Airy harmonics further amplified Steinbacher's pinpoint-perfect intonation without losing their sense of levity.
Although she sometimes used too much hesitation for dramatic effect during particularly pronounced moments in the solo—taking certain moments too far when an upward flair of Felix Mendelssohn's score already did everything necessary to bring out the panache of the part—Steinbacher won the audience over with her exquisite sound, exuberate expression, and tuneful elegance. She received a mid-concert standing ovation.
On its own, the New York Phil started the evening on a rougher note. With its tonal yet modern harmonies, shifting rhythms, and well-crafted bass line, Osvaldo Golijov's Last Round could have been epic—a smooth introduction to a modern repertoire for a classically inclined audience; innovative, yet still pleasing to the ear. Given that the New York Philharmonic performs about thirteen pieces monthly, perhaps the piece was doomed from the start, with shifting time signatures and difficult entries in Golijov's piece requiring more rehearsal time than the average work. As the highlights of the program were already specifically geared towards old favorites of Mendelssohn and Dvořák, the piece was unlikely to get as much attention.
It’s a shame, really, because the Argentinian composer exhibited masterful technique with alternating time signatures and a constant bass line that often did not quite match up with the melody, giving the piece a steady, yet rhythmically intriguing feel. At the start of the piece, interspersed entries were a mess and only hinted at the precise, rhythmic interactions the composer had intended. Golijov's placement of performers added another novel element. The structure was built off of two string quartets placed on either side with a double bass in the back. This setup enabled the two violin parts to blend together more, which proved instrumental during a particularly vivacious passage in which one violin part played a rapid bowed segment leading up to a single pizzicato note, and then the other violin part, seated right next to the first, continued the segment of music arco, allowing for seamless melody.
Conductor Joshua Weilerstein also made his Philharmonic debut on this program, bringing a lot of energy and enthusiasm to the stage. His technique was crisp and tempo-driven, rather than the more fluid, brush-stroke style of some of his Philharmonic contemporaries. His pointed and energetic flair, however, still allowed for ample expression while maintaining a cohesive orchestra.
Weilerstein led the group through the powerful swells and blending harmonies of Dvořák's Eighth Symphony, with the orchestra's rich, bell-like glow helping to bring out what musicologist Arbie Orenstein in the pre-concert lecture described as "all heart." Although Weilerstein might have accentuated contrast in dynamics (for example, a softer pianissimo) further, he enjoyed every moment and roused the audience through several rounds of applause as the concert closed.