The pairing of conductor Daniele Gatti and pianist Kirill Gerstein at this year’s Dvořák Prague Festival promised a special evening, and did not disappoint. Coupled with a superb showing by the Staatskapelle Dresden, their performance offered a riveting account of Schumann’s Piano Concerto in A minor and an insightful reading of Mahler’s sprawling Fifth Symphony. With both artists also bringing a sense of spontaneity, it was like hearing the music for the first time.
Gerstein plays with a combination of cerebral cool and deep passion that served the concerto well, highlighting both its power and lyricism, and rendering the intricate piano runs in mesmerizing detail. From the opening descending chords, his playing was crisp and propulsive, pulling listeners along with irresistible energy. Gerstein also showed himself to be a master of dynamics – fierce in the opening movement, gently seductive in the Intermezzo and just short of overwhelming in a sparkling finale. His carefully calibrated treatment gave the piece both authority and charm.
Gerstein brings his own unique language to the keyboard, with his jazz background adding a subtle but distinctive flavor to the sound. In this case he and Gatti gave the final movement a pulse and rollicking style that nearly stood as a jazz piece on its own. That approach could have fallen flat, but their command of the material was such that it expanded the possibilities of the music rather than taking undue liberties with it.
The two men also fully realized the concerto’s innovative character, which gives the piano and orchestra equal weight. In their hands, it came off not as a soloist playing with an orchestra, but as a single, unified work. Employing frequent eye contact, Gatti gave Gerstein plenty of room for pauses and phrasing, providing an orchestral accompaniment that was both ebullient and delicately balanced, never getting in the way. The fit was remarkable, expertly drawn but relaxed, a striking study in musical simpatico.
After the fireworks of the concerto, an encore of Schumann’s Blümenstuck felt contemplative, with Gerstein taking his time, giving the piece emotional depth. He breathes the music, which seems to flow out of him. On this occasion, his technique so engaged the audience that the entire hall seemed to be holding its breath as the final notes faded out.
Working without a score, Gatti offered a dazzling rendering of Mahler’s journey from darkness to light, conjuring ominous tones and roiling tempests in the funereal first part, segueing to a cheerier atmosphere without losing any of the drama in the second, then crafting a glimmering Adagietto in Part 3 that set up a towering finale brimming with optimism and excitement. His expertise across the many smaller sections was most impressive, invoking a kaleidoscope of moods, textures and emotional surges with precision and flair. Brilliant work from the horns and woodwinds added color and character.
Throughout, the orchestra’s strengths were at the fore: the “Dresden Sound” of clean, clear classicism, virtuoso solo work and playing so versatile that in parts of the middle section it approached human voices. This was music as a force of nature, at once beautiful and terrifying, breathtaking in scope, an odyssey of epic proportions played at a very high level. It all held together with a cohesion that few interpreters of Mahler achieve, leaving an enthusiastic audience applauding for more.
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