Thursday October 20, 2011

Classical, with a Passion: Orchestra London Cathedral Series October 2011
Innocence Comes Alive in the Music

by Brian Hay

The opening movement of Johann Baptiste Vanhal's Symphony in G Minor was played with such warmth, grace and lyrical visual beauty it's honestly hard to say whether it was more of a joy to watch or listen to. The connection between Conductor and Orchestra had such a level of intimacy the music seemed to move in waves or gentle ripples according to the direction established by the composer. The second movement featured some brilliantly expressive playing from Concert Master Joseph Lanza and violist Kelvin Enns. The third and fourth movements were filled with lyrical playing and strikingly dramatic effects. The lyrically poetic connection between Conductor and players only became more intimate. Bits of individual expression began emerging and asserting their presence while remaining within the framework of the larger whole. It was electrifying.

The Oboe Concerto B Flat Major by C.P.E. Bach that closed the first half was introduced perfectly by Alain when he described its style as 'gallant', or as he put it, gentlemen opening doors fro one another. The refined elegant playing of the opening bars immediately conjured images of everyone on the stage doing that for one another. He'd open one, they'd follow by opening the next and so it went in turn. Oboist Ian Franklin's playing drew waves of emotion from his instrument, the audience and the musicians around him. The work contained many passages that were long enough that he had to breathing several times while they were being played but it was virtually impossible to see where and when he was doing it.

The Serenade for Strings by Malcolm Forsyth served as a reminder that all of music is part of a larger whole regardless of the period from which it stems. This piece, which stems from 1984, drew waves of individually expressive playing from different members of the Orchestra. Joe Lanza was having a field day putting flourishing touches on every line he played. If he'd been any more animated he'd of needed to be bolted to the chair he was in. Cellists Christine Newland and Jeremy Hake could be seen and heard adding a flourish to everything they played. Cellist Jeffrey Garrett was out of my sightline but the panache he was injecting into the piece was audible as well. Assertive runs flowed from the violas of Kelvin Enns, and I believe, Karen Kjeldson and Jacqueline Milne. Joseph Phillips had his bass growling articulately. They were all stepping outside box with impressionistic touches but staying completely within the framework of the larger piece. It was uncanny.

The E Minor Symphony by Joseph Haydn which closed the concert featured more of the lyrical unity which had been evident from the opening on but it had built to something else as well. Time and again individual flourishes shone like beacons. Larger segments that featured the whole ensemble were played as if each musician couldn't wait to be there first. Alain led. The musicians jumped on everything. The music flowed wherever they took it and they flowed to wherever it took them. It was an audio visual wave with everything moving in the same direction that connected directly to the heart.

The pre-concert chat that Maestro Alain Trudel gave was wonderfully informative. In it he explained that the orchestra was laid out differently for this show and that it was a practice the composers followed because they were thinking of how the audience would hear the music. One benefit was that having the violins spread out allowed the contributions from the wind and brass players to be heard more clearly. Spencer Phillips delectable runs on the bassoon were easily heard. The punctuation delivered by the French Horns of Ron George and (I believe) Kate Stone was clear and sharp. The chat was filled with humour as well. His impression of the sound of a Benny Goodman record was priceless. He repeated it during the show, to the delight of everyone in the hall.

Something very special is taking shape here. In the pre-concert chats Alain opens the doors to the works and delights in giving people a sense of the composers intentions. On the stage he's placed great demands on the musicians and established a bond of trust that has everyone believing in what they can accomplish and doing so for the sheer joy of it. The change was noticeable the instant the Orchestra began playing. Each time he moved the responses from the musicians were so immediate it seemed they were on top of his signals rather than simply following them. The sound flowed with such a strong sense of its own path that it was actually tangible, with eyes open or closed. The connection between Alain and the players of this orchestra has always been excellent but it's evolved into something more. After the show Christine Newland was exuberant and delighted with what had gone on. Joe Lanza had such a spring in his step that it seemed he could barely stay on the ground. Alain himself was overjoyed to have been a part of it.

The innocence is back in the music. That's Alain's gift to everyone.

'Classical, with a Passion' (and lots of it) was performed at St. Paul's Cathedral in London Ontario on Wednesday October 19, 2011. This write-up was done with to convey a sense of what it was like to be there.

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