San Antonio Symphony, Lang-Lessing, Shterenberg
The oval track and the open road
April 9, 2011As the audience filed out of the Majestic Theatre after the San Antonio Symphony’s concert of April 8, one gentleman said he thought the performance of Felix Mendelssohn’s symphony-cantata “Lobgesang” seemed longer than usual.
Music director Sebastian Lang-Lessing’s tempi had struck me as being quite brisk, on the whole, but the exiting gentleman’s comment brought to mind two curious facts about “Lobgesang.” First, every performance seems longer than usual. Second, no matter how slow or how fast the conductor takes it, every performance lasts three hours and 67 minutes. Or maybe it just seems that way.
“Lobgesang,” or “Hymn of Praise,” was the concluding item on a program that opened with Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto, with principal clarinet Ilya Shterenberg superbly elegant in the starring role.
Let it be acknowledged that many people actually like “Lobgesang.” The young fellow sitting next to me, for example, applauded vigorously at the end, the moment he woke up.
Mr. Lang-Lessing certainly seemed to have an affinity for the work. One can understand why, to a degree. Like nearly everything that Mendelssohn composed, “Lobgesang” is impeccably crafted in a style rooted in the classical tradition that spanned J.S. Bach and early Beethoven. The engine runs smooth and clean, and it responds gratefully to a driver like Mr. Lang-Lessing who is skillful on the turns, aggressive on the straightaways, fastidious about details but ever aware of the finish line. However well made and well driven, this vehicle never really goes very far, or very deep into the human experience. Authentic human experience doesn't end up where it started. It takes its chances on the open road or the new trail, paths that held no allure for Mendelssohn's conservative outlook.
Still, this was an altogether admirable performance from the conductor, the orchestra, the Mastersingers chorus and the three vocal soloists. The orchestral balances were transparent, the lines were shapely, the opening three-movement Sinfonia danced spiritedly, and the trombones were terrific in the work’s signature motto. The chorus, prepared by John Silantien, sang crisply and blended handsomely. Sopranos Angela Meade and Amber Wagner matched each other nicely in their ample power and deep gloss. Tenor John Tessier was said to be under the weather (perhaps under the oak pollen that has incapacitated half of San Antonio), but his bright, limpid, highly placed instrument sounded lovely, nonetheless.
Mr. Shterenberg was predictably excellent in the Mozart concerto, a work that cannot be accused of going in circles, even in the rondo finale. The clarinetist's performance was somewhat reserved, but he never lost touch with the music's wit, lyricism and feeling. His satiny tone was unremittingly gorgeous, his phasing thoughtful, his articulation unimpeachable. His breath control was a marvel, especially in the poignant central adagio, in which Mr. Shterenberg wove amazingly long, uninterrupted pianissimo lines with no hint of a sag. He brought effortless virtuosity, but never overt showiness, to the outer allegros.
This was also one of the best Mozart performances this orchestra has given. The strings sounded silken, the winds fit perfectly into the overall texture, and ensemble was consistently clean.
Mike
Greenberg
