This past Saturday evening I attend the Grand Rapids Symphony performing the Mahler 2. It was the music director, David Lockingtons, final performance after 16 years of service. Two lead players were also retiring after 41 years of music making. It was an emotionally charged atmosphere, to say the least. You could feel it in the music with the opening bars. I was quite surprised at the volume and tenacity of the opening phrases in the cello/bass sections; they set the tone for the whole evening. Rhythmically charged, taught and looking straight ahead. This was a quick performance, actually similar to Klemperer.
Lockington did some smart things. First he divided the violins. Second he positioned the bass section just behind the cellos; seated next to the 1st violins. Thirdly, and perhaps most important, he was excellent with his balances. Especially given the rather small size of our hall. The orchestra was pushed forward to accommodate the 180 person choir, the confines were tight and crowded with all the percussion. It's honestly too bad they couldn't have pulled in a few more violas; they were a bit quiet.
It was a great evening, and I was quite impressed with my local orchestra. There were a few rough spots, and the vocal soloists were only alright, otherwise they gave an emotionally charged Mahler 2 that turned out to be a great live experience.
Topic: Mahler 2/Grand Rapids Symphony/Live (Read 6463 times)