A speedy Beethoven Ninth disappoints in San Francisco

By Mayumi Wardrop, 02 February 2017

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Reviewed at Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco on 1 February 2017

Beethoven, Symphony no. 9 in D minor "Choral", Op.125

Herbert Blomstedt, Conductor

San Francisco Symphony Chorus

San Francisco Symphony

Kiera Duffy, Soprano

Sara Couden, Mezzo-soprano

Nicholas Phan, Tenor

Andrew Foster-Williams, Bass

Full symphonic grandeur from Salonen and the SF Symphony

Lois Silverstein, 6th October

Sayaka Shoji and Salonen remain in close dialogue in a riveting performance of Shostakovich's First Violin Concerto.

****1

Finnish footprints in San Francisco: Salonen conducts Sibelius

Lois Silverstein, 14th March

As the news breaks that Esa-Pekka Salonen will be leaving at the end of his San Francisco Symphony tenure, he conducts the music of his fellow Finn, Jean Sibelius.

****1

Hail and farewell: MTT’s last Mahler in San Francisco

Cameron Kelsall, 25th January

After 50 years of performances with the San Francisco Symphony, including a quarter-century tenure as Music Director, Michael Tilson Thomas chooses Mahler’s Fifth Symphony for his final subscription concert.

****1

Bach-inspired Mendelssohn in San Francisco

Edward Sava-Segal, 17th February

An exquisite rendition of Mendelssohn's Lobgesang makes one wonder why the work is not part of the regular repertoire.

****1

MTT offers familiar and unfamiliar Stravinsky in San Francisco

Edward Sava-Segal, 29th September

In a program including both modernist and neoclassical works, Michael Tilson Thomas and the SFO emphasized the common traits characterizing Stravinsky's entire ouevre.

****1

A phenomenally multi-layered Mahler 3 in San Francisco

Theodora Serbanescu-Martin, 29th June

Michael Tilson Thomas, Sasha Cooke, and choristers from the Pacific Boychoir and San Francisco Chorus come together in a phenomenal performance of Mahler's all-encompassing Third Symphony.

*****

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Mayumi Wardrop

Mayumi holds a Masters degree in Clinical Audiology, but her real interest and passion is Western art music history and musicology. She is a violinist and part-time student of French and Music, while also being a full-time mother to two boys. She is based in San Mateo, California.