Roberto and Peter Serkin at the BSO

On Friday March 11th,  the BSO had to scramble to replace ailing James Levine and pianist Maurizio Pollini.  As we had known about this in advance, we were not surprised by the change in programming.  Roberto Abbado chose a Haydn Symphony No. 93 in D to open the program.  From the opening moment,  you knew that this was none other than Haydn.  Conducting without a score, Abbado conducted with great sweeping jestures and drew musicality out of the ensemble.  Although somewhat unremarkable, the piece was both satisfying and welcome. 

After arranging the stage for the piano, Peter Serkin, a lanky master came out in tails and played the Bartok Piano Concerto No. 3.  Although not familiar to most, Serkin played with strenth dynamics and stellar technique.  He is rather tall and exuberant and one could occasionally hear his feet stamping on the stage as he masterfully used the pedals for enhancement.  Again Abbado did not conduct with a score and it was eminently clear that Serkin had a keen eye on Abbado for tempi, entrances, etc.  It was wonderful to watch such superb technique by Serkin who literally pounced on the keys for short notes with great fervor.  At times, this effect was mirrored with the xylophone.  Abbado let Serkin take ample solo curtain calls to a rousing and united standing ovation from the audience. 

Contrary to other blog posts and recent review of this concert, I found the Beethoven Symphony 5 in C minor, Opus 67, a warhorse of the repetoire to be unusually refreshing.  I almost left before the end of the intermission and was quite surprised to listen to a breakneck tempo reminiscent of Sir Roger Norrington on period instruments. It was certainly unusual, very much unlike that of performed with Levine as conductor in recent years.  The 2nd movement was particularly wonderful with  restrained elegance as Abbado held the orchestra to pianissimo to great success.  One has to keep an open mind, for this was certainly "different" and seemed appreciated by the audience.  My only hesitation was the occassional blaring of the trumpets and horns in the finale.  Abbado graciously acknowledged the playing by the oboe, flute, horns, etc.  One only has to listen to Norrington, Bernstein, Levine, Karajan et al., to realize that music is all about interpretation.  I once heard Norrington state that we have no idea how music was really played when it was composed despite temi markings and different orchestrations.  I actually prefer period instruments as they allow the music to be played as it was perhaps intended.  The BSO performance was quite brisk, perhaps to a fault, but it left you with a sense of brilliance that can only achieved with a great orchestra.  I am glad that I did not leave since it was indeed awakening and special.