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University Centre Auditorium
October 31, 2008
By any reasonable standard, we must date the invention of Modern Orchestra from December 5, 1830 - the date of the first performance of Hector Berlioz' Symphonie Fantastique.
To place this extraordinary work in context, consider that Beethoven's Ninth had been premiered just over six years previously, Schubert's "Great" C major - although destined to remain unperformed for a decade - was even more recent. Mendelssohn was working on his "Scottish" and "Italian" Symphonies", Schumann would not compose a symphony for several years, Bruckner was just six years old and Brahms had yet to be born.
The shock of the Symphonie Fantastique can hardly be gauged today; almost every aspect of the piece was new - even though the fourth movement recycles music from the unfinished opera Les Francs Juges - from its extensive programme to its brilliant use of instrumental colour. Little wonder that, as Hugh Macdonald has written, "at one blow music was revealed as itself an intrinsically romantic art, as the romantic art."
Friday night's excellent UVic Orchestra concert closed with a very fine performance of the symphony. János Sándor is a conductor of great sensitivity and perception and judged his tempos - and their many transitions - to perfection.
The first movement can often seem to ramble - formal structure is neither this music's, nor Berlioz' forte - yet in Sándor's hands everything cohered. The second movement, with its dazzling pair of harps, had a beautiful lilt to its waltz rhythm and although apparently perfectly orchestrated in the original score, has just that little extra sparkle when the optional cornet part (it is unsure exactly when he added this to the manuscript) is played, especially when played with the élan of Louis Ranger.
The third movement's opening duet between English horn and offstage oboe was wonderfully atmospheric - and superbly played by Heather Reed and Lesley Hatten; Sándor's smoothly flowing tempo and the mellifluous playing of all concerned made the work's longest movement almost seem its shortest.
The final two movements were all that one might want: ominous, threatening, sinister, brash and exciting by turns. I am happily willing to forgive the omission of the repeat in the march in the light of the excellence of the playing and direction. And I must commend Liam Hockley's diabolical E-flat clarinet in the finale.
Which is not to say that the performance was without flaw: the current incarnation of the orchestra is a very fine one - and I have never heard such good string playing from them before - but it has a significant percentage of new members and there is clearly a little "bedding down" required. Intonation and ensemble, for example, both immaculate in the opening half of the evening, tended to loosen a little in the Berlioz.
And, at the beginning of the Rondes du Sabbat in the finale, the entire orchestra clearly wanted to go faster than Sándor was prepared to let them. Of course he prevailed and of course he was right: accelerate too early in this movement and the music has "nowhere to go" later on.
But I would not make too much of this. The Symphonie Fantastique is one of the great orchestral works and this performance was fully worthy of the score.
The evening's first half consisted of two other popular and slightly sinister French works, neither of which would have been possible without the example of the Berlioz.
It was only when the house lights were dimmed at the opening of the programme that the audience could gauge the full horror of the ensemble on stage. To be sure, there was the usual selection of vampires, witches, warlocks, princesses and the like, although for me the scariest sight was the young player who, from where I was sitting (admittedly to the side and slightly behind) disconcertingly resembled Sarah Palin. (I refrain from mentioning her instrument or being precise about her position on the stage as this is probably a gross libel on the young lady in question.)
But such thoughts were quickly (and almost entirely) dispelled by the marvellous performance of Saint-Saëns's Danse Macabre which followed.
Propelled by Megan Dalke's splendidly-zigeuner solo violin, the music was rhythmic, vital and infectious. The overall sound of the orchestra was full-bodied and precise, the close possessed an almost Mendelssohnian delicacy.
Which leaves Paul Dukas's L'Apprenti Sorcier, one of a mere dozen works he did not destroy shortly before his death. Tremendously familiar as the music is, a performance as controlled and detailed as this still reveals much. And from the shimmering strings of the opening to the whiplash final chords there was much to appreciate and enjoy.
Not least of which was the creaking flatulence of the contrabassoon, in the reliable hands of Lara Oberg.
I have yet to be even slightly disappointed by a UVic orchestra concert and am usually, as I was on Friday evening, transported and enthralled.
This is why the orchestra must never be allowed to die: no matter how good your stereo system, nothing you can hear at home will ever measure up to the thrill of hearing this music in the flesh.
Especially when it is played and directed as well as this.
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