A novel take on a familiar tune: Tianyi Lu conducts Tchaikovsky 5 in Montreal

In an interview the New York Philharmonic's Chris Martin once recounted a memorable guest conducting stint by Charles Dutoit with the Chicago Symphony, where Martin was Principal Trumpet at the time. For the third movement of Tchaikovsky's Sixth Symphony, Dutoit took the time to explain his justification for asking the brass section to alter their stylistic approach. Martin said that when a guest conductor's interpretation is at variance with the players' standard approach, they typically comply with the directives in rehearsal but revert to their "tried and true" version in concert. Dutoit's visit was memorable for Martin because the CSO brass section accepted the justification for Dutoit's suggestions and adhered to them in performance.

The Orchestre symphonique de Montréal displayed a comparable willingness to adapt, on this occasion, for Tianyi Lu in a program that featured Tchaikovsky's Fifth. Lu's approach was to apply a molto sostenuto styling to virtually the entire work. Predictably, this legatissimo style worked well when the music was supposed to sing, less so when it was supposed to dance. Be that as it may, the players faithfully complied with Lu's wishes.

The Tchaikovsky got off to a shaky start. The "fate" motif, which appears throughout, is first stated in unison by a pair of clarinets. They had some tuning issues on the lowest note of that melody; additionally their woodwind section colleagues struggled to start their phrases together. Thereafter, however, the OSM fully recovered and went on to deliver a secure and spirited reading. The Andante cantabile was taken at an Adagio tempo, which made it tough for principal horn Catherine Turner to do full justice to her lengthy solo, which taxes the player's endurance, even at the tempo indicated by the composer. To give credit where due, Lu's lyricism was undeniably effective in this same slow movement, leading to moments of fervent beauty. In the finale, putting a little daylight between the notes may well have better suited the heraldic character of the music. Nonetheless, kudos to Lu, whose phrase arcs were a testament to a thoughtfully crafted and judiciously executed overall interpretive plan.

Prior to the Tchaikovsky, Pierre-Laurent Aimard dazzled in Bartók's Piano concerto no. 3. Aimard's extensive experience in the realm of chamber music served him well; his sensitivity to and interaction with his collaborators resulted in a high degree of spontaneity; the music really came alive. What Aimard lacked in power was more than compensated for by his miraculous ability to interact intuitively with his OSM accompanists, which made for great music making. The treacherous rhythmic challenges of the Allegro vivace were handled with aplomb by Lu, who led a cohesive and confident performance of the entire concerto.

The evening had opened with Canadian composer Samy Moussa's Nocturne for orchestra, an OSM commission, which conjured a disquieting sound experience, despite its title. The work was an efficacious contrast to both the Bartók and the Tchaikovsky.

This concert was a return visit for Tianyi Lu to the OSM podium. It was abundantly clear that both her musicianship and charisma have made her a conductor that musicians respect and enjoy working with.