Rafael Payare conducts a dynamic Resurrection Symphony in Montreal

Each September, most professional orchestras wish to launch their seasons with a bang. In North America this year, the orchestras of San Francisco, Cincinnati and Cleveland, as well as L'Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, have chosen Mahler's Resurrection Symphony for their inaugural concerts. The work is a herculean undertaking, calling for a huge brass section, two vocal soloists and an enormous chorus. 

The big season opener in the Maison symphonique was preceded by Thomas Larcher's orchestral work, Time. This work's innovative exploitation of a large percussion section was particularly effective. Kudos to oboist Vincent Boilard and flautist Albert Brouwer for their lyrical contributions. Larcher incorporates atypical instrument pairings on melodic lines. Perhaps due to the challenging onstage acoustics of this hall, these lines were often out of sync. The composition is technically demanding for the string section and physically taxing for the brass players but the OSM rose to the challenge. This piece seemed to elicit minimal emotional response from the audience and received polite applause.

The principal work on this program would have quite the opposite effect. Sustained commitment from the low strings provided a dynamic launch for this rendition of Mahler's Second Symphony. Subsequently one could appreciate that careful attention had been paid to shaping the cantabile phrases of the strings. The violins and violas demonstrated laudable rhythmic cohesion when they shared melodic lines. Conductor Rafael Payare adroitly sculpted moods that progressed from a sense of brooding to a gradual ratcheting of tension and ultimately to a gratifying climax.

The Andante moderato benefited from a cogent interpretive approach, most evident throughout the string section. The cellos made the most of their melodic material. Some dulcet sounds from the harps nicely rounded out this section. The leadership of Todd Cope in the clarinet section was meritorious in the subsequent quiet, flowing movement. In the chorale of the gorgeous Urlicht, the horns were consistently behind the trumpets. Kudos to the OSM's contrabassoonist, who laid down a reverberant harmonic foundation. Mezzo-soprano Karen Cargill, a Scot who studied briefly in Canada, projected well despite having been positioned in the midst of the orchestra. Cargill's clarion voice was enchanting.

In the introduction of the Finale, strident percussion playing briefly contorted the orchestral balance. Shortly thereafter the tender English horn playing of Pierre-Vincent Plante was a standout. In the low brass chorale, it would have been nice to have heard more from the four inner voices. The overall tuning here was commendable, although the highest voice occasionally rode the pitch. The offstage French horn and trumpet work was consistently first rate. The choir, when it finally took its turn, was both rhythmically cohesive and resonant. The women's voices were remarkably sonorant at the extreme low end of their dynamic range. This prayer-like section may well have benefited from more expressive phrasing. 

Dorothea Röschmann's soprano was impressively powerful. Her virtuosity contributed a great deal to the performance. As a testament to his sensitivity, Paul Merkelo's trumpet solos dovetailed nicely with those of the vocal artists. As OSM audiences have come to expect, the playing of concertmaster Andrew Wan was stellar as was his uncanny ability to consolidate the string section. A heightened sense of excitement was created by having the offstage brass players move to the organ loft and additionally by having the chorus members stand when the aggregate musical forces commenced their ascent toward the symphony's final climax. Perhaps the brass section should not have been encouraged to cut loose until the singers were finished. Just the same, the ending was breathtaking.

Rafael Payare is coming into his own as the OSM's music director, overcoming his propensities to over-conduct and to sacrifice tone and balance for dynamics. His interpretations are revealing deeper musical insights. As he and the OSM continue to build mutual trust, Montrealers may look forward to many more thrilling concerts from these world-class musical collaborators.