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University Centre Auditorium
November 4, 2018
"Only when the form grows clear to you, will the spirit become so too".
Robert Schumann's "Advice to Young Musicians" dates from 1848, between the original composition, in 1841, and the revision, a decade later, of what is known as his Symphony No.4. (It was actually his second complete symphony to be composed.)
Perhaps the symphony was on his mind when he penned the words quoted above, for he abandoned the original title, "Symphonic Fantasia", and added the subtitle "Introduction, Allegro, Romanza, Scherzo und Finale in einem Satze [in one movement]": one of the major elements of the revision was to direct that all four movements be played without a break, whereas in the original (using the example, many believe, of Beethoven's Fifth) only the last two movements were linked.
It was with a splendid performance of Schumann's Fourth that Yariv Aloni and the Greater Victoria Youth Orchestra closed the first concert of their new season on Sunday afternoon.
The slow introduction featured a well-blended, weighty sound and the accelerando into the movement proper was immaculately handled. Tempos were well judged and the buildup of tension in the development section was first rate.
My one criticism of the slow movement, which was otherwise lovely, was that the tempo was perhaps just a little fast for concertmaster Kaira Fukui to articulate her solo quite as audibly as it should be. What I could hear of it was exquisite, but I could not help but feel that just a slight easing of the tempo would have paid dividends in this regard. (Parenthetically, the last time I heard the GVYO play this symphony, under guest conductor Michael Bowie, if I remember correctly, this movement was taken so fast that the poor concertmaster could hardly keep up; this was a distinct improvement on that.) I mention this, at least in part, because it is so unusual for me not to be convinced by one of Aloni's tempos. Ah well, I suppose nobody's perfect — least of all me.
The scherzo was brisk and exuberant, although once again in the trio the violins had some difficulty in articulating their line at the chosen tempo. The gradual lead-in to the last movement was beautifully handled and the movement itself was superb, with nice clean lines in the fugato (which is, in itself, far more convincing than the corresponding moments of the piano quartet or quintet) and the final coda, with some excellent shifts in tempo, was truly uplifting.
Despite my minor quibbles, this was a first-class performance.
Brahms' Academic Festival Overture, which opened the programme can often seem like a succession of lively moments killing time until the big tune arrives at the end.
Not on this occasion. Aloni directed a more than usually cohesive account (not only did I use the word in my notebook, it also occurred, unprompted by me, in a conversation with a local musician during the interval) which held the attention throughout.
It helped that, from the very first bars, the orchestra, despite the annual influx of new blood, produced an excellent sound, with plenty of bottom end and much wind detail. The brass chorale figures were commendably mellow yet full-bodied and I especially enjoyed the tipsy horns (most of the melodic material is, after all, derived from student drinking songs).
One can only imagine what Debussy's Petite Suite might have sounded like if he had orchestrated it himself. In the event it was arranged, from the original keyboard work, by Henri Büsser; although Debussy himself endorsed the arrangement, it always strikes me as being more than competent, but somewhat less inspired than the composer's own orchestral style.
But who is complaining? Not I, not with the gorgeous sound of not one, but two harps and delicious flute in the light and airy opening En bateau, or the gentle exuberance the orchestra brought to Cortège, the delicate strands of the minuet or the lively Ballet with its syncopated accompaniment and crisp temp changes.
The new GVYO season is off to a flying start.
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