Jaap van Zweden, the New York Philharmonic’s outgoing Music Director, returned to the Geffen Hall podium for the first time since mid-October to lead a conventional program of German Romantic standard repertoire. All three received strong, though sometimes less than perfectly polished performances.
Instead of opening with a brief contemporary work, which seems to be standard practice these days, the evening began with one of Wagner’s most ravishing and recognizable pieces, the Prelude to Act 1 of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, one of the composer’s rare comedic operas. The maestro elicited a well-shaped and highly spirited account, which became increasingly warm as the piece progressed, particularly in passages spotlighting the Philharmonic’s warm woodwinds and rich strings, culminating in an appropriately triumphant and blazing finale where the brass were at their very finest.
But it was Rudolf Buchbinder’s glowing interpretation of Beethoven’s Fourth Piano Concerto – elegant, expressive and perfectly balanced – that proved to be the highlight of the evening. After an exceptionally gentle opening of the Allegretto moderato, his playing was lyrically poetic throughout, as he fluently executed the movement’s rapidly accelerating rhythms and the striking dynamics of Beethoven’s cadenza. The concerto’s fiery Rondo (Vivace) finale was wonderfully vigorous and joyful, delivered with great flair and ease, and just as he had done in the first movement, Buchbinder offered an invigorating rendition of the cadenza. But his playing was best in the strikingly passionate second movement Andante con moto, where the piano restrains the aggressive orchestra, recalling the oft-quoted theory that the composer had Orpheus’ pleas to the Furies for the return of Eurydice in mind.
The Philharmonic’s accompaniment was not as satisfying. While there were passages of substantially spirited playing and some truly poignant moments, there was an overall lack of strength and coordination with van Zweden and the orchestra sounding less than totally responsive partners.
Following intermission came a forthright and precise rendition of Brahms’ Fourth Symphony. Though not as commanding as one might have wished, there were some lovely moments. The opening Allegro non troppo was marked by warmly affectionate feeling, with van Zweden combining a high degree of flexibility and focus which held the work’s large scale symphonic structure, with its idiosyncrasies of dynamics and tempo, tightly together. The Andante moderato second movement was beautifully done, placid and serene, with Anthony McGill’s eloquent clarinet making a fine contribution. The Allegro giocoso was lighthearted and exuberant, replete with spirited string playing and injecting the account with a sudden note of hearty exhilaration. In the finale's Passacaglia, the solo playing was consistently refined, especially Robert Langevin’s radiant, pure-toned work on the flute, but the movement – and the symphony as a whole – came across as predominantly staid and thoughtful rather than totally powerful and exciting.
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