Vienna is an absolutely magical place during the Holiday season. Christmas markets pop up throughout the city, a splendid holiday lighting scheme dominates the downtown area, and ice skaters warmed by Glühwein and Punsch spin around rinks at the Rathaus as well as next to the Konzerthaus. Inside, programming shifts to suit the season as well, and for this season’s “Weihnachtskonzert” (Christmas concert) the Symphoniker and Philippe Jordan joined forces for the first time with pianistic powerhouse Yefim Bronfman in an interesting program of Tchaikovsky.
Bronfman’s first dance with the Symphoniker was to Tchaikovsky’s Second Piano Concerto, a work whose popularity has been dwarfed by that of his First, but which the composer himself preferred. Dedicated to Nikolai Rubinstein, whose criticism of the First was such a burn it probably left scars. Rubinstein reviewed the Second cautiously and agreed to be soloist at its première. He died suddenly in 1881, however, so the concerto was finally premiered in Russia by the pianist Sergei Tanayev with Nikolai’s brother, Anton Rubinstein, conducting.
Bronfman attacked the concerto with alacrity and a capacity to draw sound from the piano which is breathtaking. Bursting impatiently out of the gate, Bronfman fairly blazed through it, and the numerous solo sections in the first movement were astounding, if not the cleanest ever heard. Occasionally I would have preferred more tenderness and enjoyment of the more intimate moments, but Bronfman’s line and intention never faltered. The second movement, which often feels like a triple concerto featuring violin and cello along with piano, included many beautiful moments, without ever edging on the saccharine, and the fiery final movement was a display of steel fingers and flying chords. Indeed, next to Bronfman’s intention and bite, Jordan’s erudite grace in how he leads the orchestra often felt as if it lacked teeth, like orchestra and soloist were playing in completely different genres.