Fellner|Eschenbach|NY Philharmonic

Above: pianist Till Fellner, photographed by Gabriela Brandenstein

~ Author: Ben Weaver

Saturday April 21st, 2018 – The great Austrian pianist Till Fellner made his belated NY Philharmonic debut last week with an unforgettable performance of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 22. Composed in 1785, while he was also composing Le Nozze di Figaro, the E-flat major concerto was following one of Mozart’s most famous works: the 21st concerto’s famous slow movement (two centuries later dubbed “Elvira Madigan” after it was used in a movie of that name.) 

Whatever the 22nd lacks in fame, it most certainly is one of Mozart’s masterpieces. A big and extended orchestral introduction, which includes timpani and horns, leads to piano’s debut solo. There are several points in the concerto – not cadenzas – that showcase the piano playing without orchestral accompaniment. Mr. Fellner’s beautifully light and quick playing was superb. I have long been a big fan of is artistry: the clarity of his playing, the beauty of sound, perfectly controlled volume and runs, have long placed him among the best pianists of our time. In many ways he reminds me of Murray Perahia at his finest; that’s about the highest compliment I could pay a pianist. Fellner’s playing of this evening’s Mozart was as good as one could expect from anyone. Each note was like a pearl in sunlight. The depth of feeling in the leaping octaves of the slow movement were like love-sick sighs. I think this Andante may actually be Mozart’s most perfect slow movement. And the Allegro finale was thrilling, with some key contributions from flautist Robert Langevin and bassoonist Judith LeClair.

Having a great concert pianist-cum-conductor Christoph Eschenbach on the podium was a great added bonus. Eschenbach, leading reduced forces of the NY Philharmonic, understands how to accompany the piano and showed extraordinary sensitivity, never rushing or fighting the solo instrument, allowing the piano to sing and lead. It was wonderful to finally have Mr. Fellner with the NY Phil, and I hope he will return regularly in the future.

As an encore, Mr. Fellner played Liszt’s “Le lac de Wallenstadt” from “Album d’une voyageur“; he played it wonderfully.

(Just as a side note: The magnificent final movement of the 22nd concerto was among works featured prominently in Miloš Forman’s film adaptation of “Amadeus.” The great Czech/American auteur, who also directed films  “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest” and “People vs. Larry Flynt,” and led the Columbia University film school for many years, passed away on April 13th.)

Maestro Eschenbach (above) returned to the podium following the interval for Bruckner’s last, unfinished Symphony No. 9. In failing health for the entire composition of this work, Bruckner completed the first three movements and struggled with the finale for a year. He worked on it on the last day of his life, October 11, 1896. But he only left behind sketches (some fully scored) which were not enough for anyone to be able to legitimately piece together a full movement. (Though several have tried, none of the completions are more than curiosities.) Bruckner once suggested that his Te Deum should be performed as the finale if he did not finish the work; most people realize it was not a serious suggestion for a few reasons, one of which being that a choral finale would lead to comparisons to Beethoven’s 9th, which Bruckner would not have wanted. So the work is almost always performed in only three completed movements.

The symphony begins with murmuring strings, interrupted by horns, like calls to battle. The brass section always gets big workouts playing Bruckner, and this evening they did not disappoint. Overall the orchestra were on spectacular form, and Maestro Eschenbach was able to corral the massive forces into a thundering wave. Bruckner had a truly unique gift for creating columns and walls of sound that sound like no one else’s. Many other composers could compose loud music, but there is something so unique and specific to Bruckner when he unleashes the full orchestra. As a listener, I often feel like I’m inside a cathedral and the walls are shaking with the voice of God. Of the great symphonists, Beethoven was able to represent musically the sounds of Earth. Sibelius is second to none to making us feel the chill of Mother Nature. Mahler could recreate the sounds of heaven. Shostakovich gave us sounds of man, in all his misery and triumph. Bruckner was a deeply religious man and I am not, but in these moments – and they exist in all of Bruckner’s works – I can imagine if God had a voice, he would sound like this.

In the second movement, the Scherzo, the thundering march of doom is one of Bruckner’s most memorable moments. The relentless pounding of percussion and strings is stuff of nightmares. No doubt John Williams was aware of this Scherzo when he was scoring “Star Wars.” And the final Adagio is the perfect musical farewell, its conclusion sounding like a clock slowly running down.

It is nice to have the orchestra seated on risers (a welcome change since Jaap van Zweden took over the Philharmonic as principal conductor) so one can see the various players in the back. Maestro Eschenbach also rearranged the cello and viola sections (for both Mozart and Bruckner) to have cellos on the right and violas in the middle next to the violins. Whether this was Eschenbach’s preference or a new full-time arrangement, we shall see.

~ Ben Weaver