Under Paavo Järvi, the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich gave a thrilling evening in the Elbphilharmonie with breathtaking mastery of orchestral colour, texture and dynamic contrast. The programme was a combination of music by György Ligeti and Witold Lutosławski, Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson giving the Hamburg premiere of a new John Adams piano concerto.
Ligeti's Concert Românesc was a sweeping landscape painting in itself, the movements each offering a different shade of colour and emotional texture. The work began from a low, grumbling foundation, a mystical introduction to the vastness of the planet. Järvi unfolded the folk-like themes with a modernist abstractness that left the work feeling spontaneous. The final movement was a tour de force, with the concertmaster delivering an electrifying solo – improvisational, dazzling, full of virtuosity. The Tonhalle responded with improvisatory energy. The contrast between mechanical precision and free-spirited lyricism was striking, culminating in a breathtakingly sustained high-register tremolo from the concertmaster.
Adams' new concerto, After the Fall, is a monumental toccata, clearly structured yet unpredictably thrilling. It unfolds across a dozen strongly characterised sections, each driven by individual rhythmic motifs and musical personalities. Adams integrates the piano into the orchestral texture entirely, at times summoning up specific registers, soaring in the treble, then plunging down into the bass. Ólafsson played with assured authority, his playing incisive and convincing. The final third of the concerto is its unequivocal climax, Adams weaving in a quote from the C minor Prelude from Book I of The Well-Tempered Clavier. Toccata-like rhythmic figuration is exchanged between soloist and orchestra, producing an unimaginable variety within an apparently unitary pulse. The 25-minute work sustains momentum, its unfolding stretching the boundaries of form, recalling Claudio Merulo's extended Venetian keyboard toccatas of the 17th century. Adams’ bold adherence to one structural principle for so prolonged a duration had a mesmerising effect, subtly mirroring how contemporary digital culture – in smartphones and a never-ending stream of short-form videos – immobilises audiences into a hypnotic stream where temporal consciousness disappears.
Ólafsson's ability to shed light on the architecture of the music without sacrificing its rhythmic drive earned him warm applause. In return, the Icelandic superstar offered an encore as was to be expected: Variation 13 from the Goldberg Variations performed in piercing clarity, highlighting the left-hand bass lines.
For the last part, the orchestra returned to full scale and gave a dazzling performance of Lutosławski’s Concerto for Orchestra. If Ligeti’s music evokes organic landscapes and Adams’ work suggests an unstoppable rhythmic machine, Lutosławski’s music is a massive, roaring sonic engine. Järvi guided the orchestra commandingly through the work’s intricate layers, from the dense intertwining of textures to the explosive climaxes. Brass and percussion erupted with raw, driving energy, and the strings forged moments of breathtaking clarity amid the turbulence. The work’s own kinetic energy, recalling the mechanical dynamism of the 20th century, flowed through the hall with electrifying force.
This concert showcased the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich’s technical brilliance and interpretative depth. From the hauntingly descriptive folk-inspired suite of Ligeti to the unremitting rhythmic investigation of Adams and the orchestral power of Lutosławski, they demonstrated the boundless possibilities of modern orchestral music. A night to remember and one that proved that new music can be vibrant and communicative, breaking out of the ivory tower to engage and inspire audiences in a profound way.
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