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| Pianist Ariel Dechosa and conductor Olivier Ochanine |
Featuring:
Ariel
Dechosa, piano
Olivier
Ochanine, conductor
Programme:
Franz
Joseph Haydn
Symphony No. 100 in G major, Hob. 1/100
Military
Maurice
Ravel
Piano Concerto in G
Igor
Stravinsky
Petrouchka
The
Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra greeted the year 2015 with a concert that
featured a ravishing Ravel by pianist Ariel Dechosa and a Petrushka that ended rather abruptly. With the concert staged at
the Meralco Theater once again due to the Cultural Center of the Philippinesbeing home to yet another touring musical for the most of January, I had no
choice but to endure the horror of traveling along EDSA. But after the
Christmas break and the papal visit, it was really nice to be back at the
symphony.
The
concert opener, Franz Joseph Haydn’s Symphony
No. 100 in G major, Hob. 1/100 Military, had a rather tentative start by
the orchestra led by music director and principal conductor Olivier Ochanine. I
guess that it’s harder to begin a quiet, soft and unassuming introduction than
a loud, strong phrase like that of Beethoven’s Fifth. Thankfully, everything
went smooth sailing once the winds kicked in at the Allegro. One of the most interesting aspects of this symphony was
the use of “Turkish” instruments namely the bass drum, cymbals and triangle at
the second and fourth movements. While I was watching, I couldn’t help but be
amused upon remembering that this caused quite a sensation back then when it is
nothing out of the ordinary right now.
Oddly,
Ariel Dechosa’s take on Maurice Ravel’s Piano
Concerto in G also had an incoherent start by the orchestra. The whip/slapstick
that should’ve jolted an unprepared member of the audience sounded so distant
as if the percussion section were offstage. And in yet another head scratching
moment for me, the Dechosa on the piano overpowered the orchestra which is
usually the other way around especially at performances at the CCP Main
Theater. But I wasn’t complaining since I no longer had to struggle trying to
hear the piano parts which were played magnificently especially during the
dreamy second movement. I wish that this reverie would never end but Ravel
decided to bring us back to the frenzy of the first movement in the all too
brief closing section of the piece. Dechosa impressed the audience with such an
energetic finish that he continued on with his encore of George Gershwin’s Prelude No. 1 in B flat major.
The
second half of the concert was devoted to Igor Stravinsky’s Petrushka, which was a nice contrast to
the Haydn opener. Familiarity with the ballet from which this music was from
benefited me greatly while listening to the orchestra. As they went on from
each tableau, I had no trouble imagining the story of Petrushka unfold and couldn’t
help but feel torn since I’m not sure whether to root or feel sorry for the
puppet. As the orchestra neared the part where Petrushka dies at the hands of
the Moor, his rival for the ballerina’s affections, the orchestra suddenly
stopped. Then, there was a stray applause. But Olivier relaxed, releasing the
tension in his shoulders, which is a sign that the piece has ended. I could
only join the applause in confusion, checking the souvenir program once again
confirming that the omission of the final parts of Petrushka wasn’t a misprint. The abrupt end definitely rattled me
as my favorite moment, the mocking trumpet dialogue in the keys of C and F#
during apparition of Petrushka followed by quiet pizzicato notes to end the piece wasn’t played at all.
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| RAd with Ariel Dechosa and Olivier Ochanine |
I
couldn’t recall being bothered like this at a concert. The omission left an
itchy feeling that I desperately needed to scratch. And to get this off me, I
had to play the omitted parts from a recording that I have as soon as I got
home.
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