Under the direction of Christoph Eschenbach, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra gave a lovely performance of music by Richard Strauss, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Ludwig van Beethoven on Friday afternoon. Joining the CSO were the brothers Lucas and Arthur Jussen, a piano duo from the Netherlands. This was the first of three concerts they will be giving this weekend.
The Jussens performed Mozart’s Piano Concerto for two pianos in E-flat major, which is the second of two concertos Mozart wrote for multiple pianos. Both concertos are early works, and they are two of many examples in early Mozart of rarely performed gems.
Following a six-year absence, Eschenbach returned to the CSO with quite a presence from the podium. With a baton in his right hand, he showed a careful ability to craft the music, which was evident from the opening work.
“Dreaming by the Fireside” is the second of four orchestral interludes Strauss used from his opera Intermezzo. A tender, dreamy feel is established with two violins playing a slow melody. Eschenbach carefully bended the sound as additional players joined in to create a long, gradual crescendo. By the time the trumpets, trombones, and timpani had joined, a lush dreamscape had been established. Toward the end, some unexpected tension appeared, and Eschenbach made the transition incredibly subtle. The only negative was an occasional lack of sync at the start of musical phrases, which sometimes started a bit ragged. Other than that, it was lovely.
Following a fascinating set change when two grand pianos were elevated to the stage, Eschenbach led the orchestra through the Mozart concerto. The opening tutti was crisp, although balance was not always there; the first violins were a bit too quiet in the mix.
The brothers Jussen gave this performance their all. This is not an easy work, even for one piano, much less two, which have to blend in a way that makes it impossible to know who is playing what. The brothers demonstrated this great talent many times, especially in the cadenzas. There were several occasions where a melody would start on one piano and finish on the other without the slightest change in touch. When the Jussen brothers played parts that imitated one another, the sound was completely uniform. Their interactions with the orchestra were also great.
Following several standing ovations, the Jussen brothers returned to Richard Strauss for a lively encore. They were brilliant in Igor Roma’s feisty arrangement of melodies for two pianos from the operetta Die Fledermaus. Delightful.
The second half was devoted to Beethoven’s Symphony no. 6, Pastoral. This symphony is one of those works where Beethoven revolutionized music. In addition to including a fifth movement, it’s one of the first pieces of instrumental music intended to tell a story, this being of life in the country. While not the first example of programmatic music, it was certainly the most influential and remains one of the best.
This was the first Beethoven symphony that I got to know well, and every performance must accomplish several things to keep me satisfied. First, the opening movement should not be too fast. This is not bombastic Beethoven. Instead, it creates an idyllic picture as Beethoven himself described in German: “Awakening of Happy Feelings on Arriving in the Country.” Take it too fast, and it becomes a race. Eschenbach’s tempo was perfect.
The second movement, “Scene by a Brook,” ends with a flute, clarinet, and oboe mimicking a nightingale, quale, and cuckoo. Flautist Stefán Ragnar Höskuldsson, Clarinetist Stephen Williamson, and Oboist William Welter nailed it, with Ragnar continuing the nightingale trill.
Like the 5th Symphony immediately preceding it, the 6th Symphony has segues between movements. As the dance in the third movement ends, the cellos and basses quietly play rapid notes to create the effect of thunder in the distance. This leads to greatest thunderstorm ever set to music, complete with thunder on the timpani and lightening on the violins. If done well, it’s magical, which was certainly the case at Symphony Center on Friday afternoon.
The CSO, Christoph Eschenbach, and Lucas and Arthur Jussen repeat this program tonight and tomorrow afternoon. Symphony Center, Saturday, October 5, 7:30pm, and Sunday, October 6, 3pm. For more information click here.