Le Chevalier de St. Georges: Orchestra London, Cathedral Series
Wednesday January 13, 2010

by Brian Hay

What an interesting program. It was filled with one delightful surprise after another.

The first of them was found in the program itself. Along with works by Mozart and (Joseph) Boulogne (Le Chevalier) there were also pieces by François Joseph Gossec, Jean-Marie Leclair and Joseph Haydn. This was going to be a history lesson as well as a performance. Thankfully there was plenty of time before the show to read the notes that Violinist Jeffrey Wall prepared for the evening. His notes are always great to read. He has the knowledge and he injects an understanding of the people involved into his writings. His assessment of Mozart was especially entertaining. (Personally, I've always thought Mozart and Keith Moon would have made great friends).

The opening number, Chevalier's Symphony in D, was instantly recognizable. Another revelation was the musical face shown by the Orchestra. The feel and sensibility they brought to their handling of the music on this program was an about face from what they usually show. But more on that later …

The second piece, the Symphony in D by François, was a joy to listen to. It wasn't familiar but it should be. The melodic theme of the first movement was ravishingly beautiful. It was also filled with moments of explosive drama. The second and third movements rounded out this lovely miniature and brought it to a satisfying close.

Jeanne Lamon and Joseph Lanza played the Sonata for Two Violins by Jean-Marie Leclair with warmth and intimacy. The image that came to mind was of two friends sitting by the hearth on a wintry night sharing their most private joy. It was a special and profound moment. (It was also a surprise to hear chamber music in middle of an orchestral performance but it came in like the welcome of a sunburst.) The first movement from Joseph Haydn's 86th Symphony gave an idea of the progress the form made towards becoming legitimate art as opposed to light entertainment throughout that period. The Symphony (in G) by St. Georges that closed the first half was a well-crafted work from the vein of light entertainment. Like most of his music it was easy (and fun) to listen to.

The real meat from St. Georges material was the Sinfonie Concertante that opened the second half of the program. Jeanne Lamon stated that this was the work she thought represented the "real St. George". This was music from a deeply thoughtful man. It was, at turns, wistful, longing and filled with sadness. Yet it also expressed confidence, strength and a reserved sense of contentment. It could have been the baring of the soul that an enigmatic artist sometimes offers to their public. Lamon, Lanza and the orchestra presented it as if it was a beautiful sound portrait meant to just wash over the listener. It was wonderful.

The work that concluded the show was the 'Haffner' Symphony (No. 35) by Mozart. In his notes Wall states that this symphony was less ambitious artistically than the works that Mozart followed it with. That's true. But, it's still part of the world of seamless musical logic governed by taste and restraint that's unique to Mozart's work. Everything makes perfect sense even as it's delivering new surprises after repeated listening. (Jeanne) Lamon's conducting suited it perfectly. Her sense of order and of the work as a whole is prominent. She keeps the passions veiled but close to the surface while they struggle to escape completely. The excitement that conflict creates is electrifying.

This was an excellent show. The program that (Conductor) Jeanne Lamon assembled was far more varied than anything that could have been anticipated. Her commentary was informative and entertaining. The musical content was a fine blend of obscure and familiar. It was all very friendly to the ear. The orchestra displayed their versatility by following an artist whose approach differs greatly from what they're used to.

And the music was fabulous.

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