Under the baton of Paul Polivnick, the Oberlin Orchestra provided a performance last week which outshined their previous concert to such an extent, some wondered if it was even the same orchestra.
Senior Esther Noh's captivating performance of Brahms' Violin Concerto was a harbinger of things to come.
Ultimately, the success of her performance rested on the clarity with which she conveyed her understanding of the work, but it was her supple technique which allowed her interpretation to be so convincing.
Noh's entrances were dramatic, her bow changes seamless, her intonation consistently on the mark, and her tone solid in every register.
The numerous leaps and long lines which make this concerto so difficult for most violinists seemed barely a problem for her. Each movement had its own special features: the variety of moods in the first, the seamlessness of the second, and the capricious flair of the Finale.
Despite marvelous playing throughout, her performance of the first movement was so solid and engaging that she later found it difficult to surpass. Indeed, if the conventions of applause were not so constrained in this age, she might have received an ovation for that movement alone.
Prokofiev's weighty Fifth Symphony occupied the second half of the program. The performance was characterized by a rich, focused sound and a strong sense of pulse: two things demanded by the score, but difficult to achieve.
The orchestra's best playing, by far, was in the opening two movements, in which neither emotion nor accuracy were compromised for the sake of the other. Though the slow third movement constituted a seeming lapse of concentration, all was redeemed in the finale.
The first movement is infamous among conductors because typical audiences easily tire of its long slow passages. A convincing performance, though, can be riveting. Surprisingly, the gradual unfolding of this movement presented no difficulties for the orchestra. The solid transitions allowed a natural flow of momentum from section to section. It is curious that the very thing which so plagued the orchestra's previous concert was dealt with so expertly this time around.
Prokofiev's symphony continued to impress the audience. The second movement depicted a relentless machine of great force, and the Finale evoked an enjoyable train ride through the Russian countryside.
Deserving of special mention is the percussion section, which amassed formidable walls of sound to quite extraordinary effect. Not since Robert Spano's thunderous reading of Mahler's Sixth Symphony two years ago have Finney's rafters been shaken so violently.
In the final analysis, only a few small improvements would have made this a great performance.
The end of the third movement would have benefited from a greater sense of mystery, and some of the faster passages in the last movement might have been cleaner. But let's not forget that Prokofiev's Fifth is a virtuoso symphony - difficult for every instrument involved. Any qualms with Friday's performance are justifiably trivial and the final result could have only been the product of commitment and diligence.
Just practicing: The Oberlin Orchestra played the Brahms violin concerto and Prokofiev's Fifth Symphony Friday. (photo by file photo)
Copyright © 1999, The Oberlin Review.
Volume 127, Number 19, April 9, 1999
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