Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra plays Mozart and Mahler
11 March 2006, Saturday
8:30 p.m, Dewan Filharmonik Petronas
Susan Platts, mezzo-soprano
Jeffrey Lloyd-Roberts, tenor
Matthias Bamert, conductor.
This year in Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra's Mahler itinery features Das Lied von der Erde (Song of the Earth), the unofficial Mahler Ninth for tenor, mezzo-soprano and a large orchestra based on German translations of Chinese poems by Hans Bethge (1876 - 1946). Written in 1907, this is the first in a series of trilogy from the "late" period of Mahler's life where he was preoccupied with death as dealt with the Ninth and (unfinished) Tenth symphonies. That year was likened to three hammer-blows prophesized by the composer himself in his Sixth symphony (Tragic). He resigned from post as music director for Vienna State Opera and Vienna Philharmonic due to increasing opposition, his beloved eldest daughter Maria died from scarlet fever and finally diagnosed with a congenital heart defect thus putting a stop to all his beloved outdoor activities including swimming and mountain hiking. He was given the book Die Chinesische Flote(The Chinese Flute) as a gift from a friend and he selected seven poems from the book and set them into a composition. It is his unofficial Ninth symphony, because everybody knows he didn't name it one in order to cheat Beethoven's Grim Reaper =P
Das Lied, along with the first symphony, moulded me into a Mahler freak. Since the first recording of Das Lied(budget Red Line recording of Murray Dickie, Fischer-Deskau and Philharmonia led by Paul Kletzki), this work remains one of my very personal favorite. In my criteria of judgment, there are two kinds of Das Lied - spiritual and Straussian. The latter focuses on the brillaint chamber-like writing and orchestration while the former evokes the music based on the core interpretation of it's lyrics. Very few recordings and performances could get into the core soul of the work where the conductors, singers and even the players must feel their very mortality of their being when playing this work. Therefore when I went into this performance, I am expecting at least expected to hear how the winds of MPO fare or how at least the conductor tackles the fiendishly difficult "Ohne rucksicht auf das Tempo" (Without regard for the tempo) section where even Mahler was at loss at how to tackle it. Glad to say, the Malaysian Philharmonic proves itself to be a formidable Mahler ensemble and the experience of listening to Das Lied live is truly one of the most moving experiences in my life.
Jeffrey Lloyd-Roberts doesn't have as much Mahler credentials as his counterpart, Susan Platts. She recorded Das Lied with late Mahlerian Gary Bertini and have sung all alto and mezzo-soprano parts in Mahler's Nine Symphonies. In addition, Mr Jeffrey was struggling with his difficult tenor part, noticably the first movement where his voice almost broke at the verse "soll auflachend in die Seele euch klingen!"(...shall resound laughingly in your soul). But his efforts of interpretation were admirable, like his depiction of the ape crouching over the grave part which was chilling. His Von der Jugend (Of Youth) had good narrative quality, and in Der Trunkene im Frühling (Drunkard in Spring) the part where the bird sings of spring was sang in a child-like, naive manner. There's really huge differences when you heard Ja! Ja! (Yes! Yes!)and your eyes shone in delight.
Susan Platts reputedly learned singing under Christa Ludwig and Jessye Norman, so I wasn't surprised with her vocal quality and grasp of words which has a little influence from both masters. She had no problems mastering the required pianissimi for Der Einsame im Herbst (Lonely one in Autumn) and Das Abshied (The Farewell). Interpretatively she is no Ludwig, Baker or even Hodgson but for me that is asking too much. On the orchestra, the winds are marvellous; flutter-tonguings was effortless, the Oriental timbre-effect at Von Der Jugend and "Wunderhorn" squaks at Von der Schönheit (Of Beauty).
The Mozart Symphony no 40 was fine, decent performance. Thankfully no Romantic excesses, instead H.I.P tempos employed to zip through the whole work for half-an-hour even though maestro Bamert takes all repeats (for the record, the last repeat at Allegro Assai when observed, will turn the whole movement into almost ad nauseum =P).
8:30 p.m, Dewan Filharmonik Petronas
Susan Platts, mezzo-soprano
Jeffrey Lloyd-Roberts, tenor
Matthias Bamert, conductor.
This year in Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra's Mahler itinery features Das Lied von der Erde (Song of the Earth), the unofficial Mahler Ninth for tenor, mezzo-soprano and a large orchestra based on German translations of Chinese poems by Hans Bethge (1876 - 1946). Written in 1907, this is the first in a series of trilogy from the "late" period of Mahler's life where he was preoccupied with death as dealt with the Ninth and (unfinished) Tenth symphonies. That year was likened to three hammer-blows prophesized by the composer himself in his Sixth symphony (Tragic). He resigned from post as music director for Vienna State Opera and Vienna Philharmonic due to increasing opposition, his beloved eldest daughter Maria died from scarlet fever and finally diagnosed with a congenital heart defect thus putting a stop to all his beloved outdoor activities including swimming and mountain hiking. He was given the book Die Chinesische Flote(The Chinese Flute) as a gift from a friend and he selected seven poems from the book and set them into a composition. It is his unofficial Ninth symphony, because everybody knows he didn't name it one in order to cheat Beethoven's Grim Reaper =P
Das Lied, along with the first symphony, moulded me into a Mahler freak. Since the first recording of Das Lied(budget Red Line recording of Murray Dickie, Fischer-Deskau and Philharmonia led by Paul Kletzki), this work remains one of my very personal favorite. In my criteria of judgment, there are two kinds of Das Lied - spiritual and Straussian. The latter focuses on the brillaint chamber-like writing and orchestration while the former evokes the music based on the core interpretation of it's lyrics. Very few recordings and performances could get into the core soul of the work where the conductors, singers and even the players must feel their very mortality of their being when playing this work. Therefore when I went into this performance, I am expecting at least expected to hear how the winds of MPO fare or how at least the conductor tackles the fiendishly difficult "Ohne rucksicht auf das Tempo" (Without regard for the tempo) section where even Mahler was at loss at how to tackle it. Glad to say, the Malaysian Philharmonic proves itself to be a formidable Mahler ensemble and the experience of listening to Das Lied live is truly one of the most moving experiences in my life.
Jeffrey Lloyd-Roberts doesn't have as much Mahler credentials as his counterpart, Susan Platts. She recorded Das Lied with late Mahlerian Gary Bertini and have sung all alto and mezzo-soprano parts in Mahler's Nine Symphonies. In addition, Mr Jeffrey was struggling with his difficult tenor part, noticably the first movement where his voice almost broke at the verse "soll auflachend in die Seele euch klingen!"(...shall resound laughingly in your soul). But his efforts of interpretation were admirable, like his depiction of the ape crouching over the grave part which was chilling. His Von der Jugend (Of Youth) had good narrative quality, and in Der Trunkene im Frühling (Drunkard in Spring) the part where the bird sings of spring was sang in a child-like, naive manner. There's really huge differences when you heard Ja! Ja! (Yes! Yes!)and your eyes shone in delight.
Susan Platts reputedly learned singing under Christa Ludwig and Jessye Norman, so I wasn't surprised with her vocal quality and grasp of words which has a little influence from both masters. She had no problems mastering the required pianissimi for Der Einsame im Herbst (Lonely one in Autumn) and Das Abshied (The Farewell). Interpretatively she is no Ludwig, Baker or even Hodgson but for me that is asking too much. On the orchestra, the winds are marvellous; flutter-tonguings was effortless, the Oriental timbre-effect at Von Der Jugend and "Wunderhorn" squaks at Von der Schönheit (Of Beauty).
The Mozart Symphony no 40 was fine, decent performance. Thankfully no Romantic excesses, instead H.I.P tempos employed to zip through the whole work for half-an-hour even though maestro Bamert takes all repeats (for the record, the last repeat at Allegro Assai when observed, will turn the whole movement into almost ad nauseum =P).
posted by Corgan Sow at 5:07 pm
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