With the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s music director designate Klaus Mäkelä taking the helm, CSO Artist in Residence Daniil Trifonov and the CSO gave a wonderful performance of Johannes Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat Major at Symphony Center on Thursday evening. The program, which will be repeated tonight and tomorrow, also included Initiale, a quirky brass septet by Pierre Boulez, and Symphony No. 7 in d-minor, my favorite symphony by Antonin Dvořák.
Pierre Boulez was a principal guest conductor of the CSO from 1995 until his death in 2016. Brahms mentored Dvořák toward the end of the 19th century, and their music shares many characteristics. It is great to hear them on the same program.
Trifonov went first. With four movements, Brahms’s second piano concerto is one of the longest concertos ever written. It took up the entire first half of the concert. The opening movement features lots of the tension and drama one expects from Brahms. But it opens with another common characteristic of this composer, a calm and sweet tenderness as expressed by a brief conversation between solo horn and piano.
On Thursday principal horn player Mark Almond wafted a very delicate melody, which Trifonov followed in a very measured way. Almond’s response wavered slightly, but the effect was warm and soothing. After a brief interlude with winds and strings, Trifonov broke into a dazzling cadenza-like solo that introduces the full orchestra.
Trifonov’s tempo was careful and measured. In contrast, Mäkelä brought the orchestra in at a more rapid pace, too fast, in my opinion. Even so, the interactions between piano and orchestra went very well, especially during the transition to the gentler secondary themes, when the orchestra and piano sounded like one.
The second movement started with tense interactions between Trifonov and the lower pitched instruments. The violins, who were tight and crisp all evening, came in and smoothed things over, followed by the winds. Trifonov exhibited an unreal level of dynamic control. There was one magical passage where he started very loudly at the bottom but got quieter as he moved his hands up the keyboard. By the end he was playing so softly, it was almost inaudible, but not quite. It was one of many “wow” moments in his performance.
The quieter third movement Andante allowed the piano and various parts of the orchestra to weave in and out. Attention focused on Principal Cellist John Sharp, who played passionately in several lengthy solos. Principal Oboist William Welter provided color in several solos.
Brahms turned to fun and frolic for the finale, where Mäkelä got really animated. Baton in his right hand, he pointed to several sections and players who always responded right on cue.
After several ovations, Trifonov performed one of Frederic Chopin’s shortest works, Etude in c-sharp minor. He played it well, but, being only two minutes long, it did not feel like enough.
Following intermission Mäkelä led seven CSO brass players in a quirky septet by Boulez. Scored for two trumpets, two horns, two trombones, and a tuba, Initiale had descending melodies played sometimes at once, sometimes syncopated. It was jarring and soothing at the same time. Things took a different sound when mutes came on the horns, trombones, and tuba. But it all swirled in the same direction. It was a fascinating interlude and a nice programming touch to add some chamber music.
After a quick set change, Mäkelä led the orchestra through the eerie opening of Dvořák Symphony No. 7, first in the cellos and followed by clarinets. The opening movement is firmly in a minor key, but much the time is spent in the major-key secondary theme, where Dvořák explores a lovely, bucolic landscape, one of his best.
Mäkelä adroitly captured the shifting moods and the CSO responded well. During the finale, he got especially animated, pointing to the various sections and soloists who responded on cue. The overall blend was good, and everyone sounded just right in the mix. It wasn’t perfect. There were a couple slips in the winds and horns, but nothing major.
Every so often, when reviewing a favorite piece of music, I’ll put the pen and paper down and allow the sounds to sink right in. On Thursday night that happened halfway through Dvořák’s slow, second movement. I loved it.
Klaus Mäkelä, Daniil Trifonov, and the CSO repeat the program at Symphony Center tonight, Saturday, May 3, 7:30pm and tomorrow, Sunday, May 4, 3pm. For more information, click here.
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