Under the baton of Jakub Hrůša in his Carnegie Hall debut, the Bamberg Symphony, in its first appearance here since 2017, delivered a dazzling evening of 19th-century Romantic favorites. The meaty, thoughtfully curated program bookended Brahms’ Third Symphony and Robert Schumann’s Piano Concerto with two stunning overtures by Wagner. The concert opener, the majestic Prelude to Act 1 of Lohengrin, unfolded like an airy, delicate flower, as quietly shimmering strings shaped the mystical melody and the colorful music intensified, building up to a sumptuous climax before winding down to a hushed, ethereal ending. From the very first notes to the last, it was evident that Hrůša, with his astute sense of structure, and his orchestra are a perfect fit.
Brahms’ Symphony no. 3 in F major showed the Bambergers at their best, with the conductor eliciting a magical, transporting performance that made the abundantly nostalgic and wistful music sound completely fresh. Reveling in the first movement’s heroic and assertive (but never too loud) moments and sculpting the finale’s volatile climaxes, Hrůša maintained taut rhythms, smart tempos and faultless blend of ensemble throughout. Emphasizing the music’s dark colors, the opening Allegro con brio had a glowing lyrical feeling. The not too slow Andante and the haunting Poco allegretto had a lovely lilt and displayed wonderful woodwind solos. The finale had an exhilarating thrust and the serene ending was managed most sensitively.
Hélène Grimaud joined the orchestra in a glorious account of Schumann’s Piano Concerto in A minor, the composer’s only work in the genre. Schumann’s orchestration, in which the soloist embraces and gently converses with the orchestra, is more intimate and chamber-like than the other great 19th-century piano concertos, and Hrůša proved a most empathetic interlocutor in a rendering marked by great poetic feeling and dedication. The opening Allegro affettuoso had a highly flexible, romantic flamboyance. In the quicker passages, Grimaud’s fingers danced over the keys with buoyant lightness, while her playing took on an attractive inward quality in the slower sections. The movement’s monumental cadenza, written by the composer, brought forth a display of tremendous virtuosity. The pianist’s warm and tenderly delicate interpretation of the Intermezzo was followed by a brilliant Finale in which she charged the music with exhilarating energy.
The program ended with the sweeping drama of Wagner’s Overture to Tannhäuser. Hrůša and the Bambergers delivered a majestic reading, combining all the music’s power and airy delicacy as seamlessly as one could expect. Sumptuously noble echoes of the Pilgrims’ Chorus yielded into a fresh and radiant rendition of the seductive but evanescent Venusberg music, replete with sinuous and characterful woodwind lines, which in turn led into a jubilant return of the Pilgrims’ music, led by the orchestra’s bright and brilliant brass.
After the alluring account of the Wagner, Hrůša and the orchestra returned to Brahms with two lively encores – sprightly takes on the composer's ever popular Hungarian Dances, Nos. 18 and 21.
