Here is the program for the third concert in the Naumburg Orchestral Concerts series in Central Park. Sinfonia in C Major, Wq. 182, No. 3 (1773), Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714–1788); Concerto in D (1946), 1. Vivace, 2. Arioso: Andantino, 3. Rondo: Allegro, Igor Stravinsky (1882–1971); Concerto for Oboe & Violin in C minor, BWV 1060 (1733), 1. Allegro, 2. Adagio, 3. Allegro, Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750); Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings (1943), Benjamin Britten
(1913–1976); and Chaconne (World Premiere) 2013), The Knights. As you can see, this was a very varied program.
The program was celebrating the concerto grosso form—a soloist (or small group) contrasted with a larger group of players—according to an announcement from the stage. This was certainly the case for the J. S. Bach and the Britten but I didn’t see it as much in the C. P. E. Bach or the Stravinsky. And Chaconne was its own format altogether.
The C. P. E. Bach, played without a conductor (the only piece with a conductor (Eric Jacobsen) was the Britten), had a lively opening, a contrasting calm section, a dance-like section with variations, and a somewhat abrupt ending. The Stravinsky had spiky rhythms but they weren’t over the top. There was a sweetness to the musical lines and, toward the end, a rocking chair–type rhythm. All in all, extremely accessible Stravinsky. Papa Bach’s concerto had a nicely played first movement that includes a very familiar opening.
http://tinyurl.com/lhkoyz3 (Well, phooey. Link doesn't work. Yahoo/Google it on your own.)
The soloists, Adam Hollander, oboe, and Johnny Gandelsman, violin, were showcased quite well as they opened the second movement, which was perfect for the sylvan setting of the park. The third movement had a forward-moving rhythm and a quite brisk tempo. Almost as an exclamation point, as the concerto came to an end, the streetlamps in the park popped on.
Britten’s Serenade, with Nicholas Phan, tenor, and Michael P. Atkinson, French horn, began the second half of the concert. This was a slightly odd choice for such an open air setting, but it worked pretty well. Mr. Phan sang well and his diction was very good but the texts (including poetry by Tennyson, Blake, Keats, and Jonson) are a little hard follow. I had an advantage, as I had studied this work in college. There are some fiendish intervals written for the horn; even when they’re played well, the ear goes, “Huh?” There were, alas, a few bobbles. For me, the highlight of the piece was the “Dirge,” a four line repetitive stanza that builds in intensity from quiet to forceful to quiet again. The arc built by the two soloists and the orchestra was exactly what was called for.
The idea behind Chaconne, also called The Ground Beneath My Feet if I jotted that down correctly when it was announced from the stage, took a chaconne rhythm and was then built on by several members of the orchestra, all compiled into one piece. As a result, there were various styles juxtaposed rather incoherently. At one point, there was a Latin flair followed by a pseudo folk song-cum-hoedown where the audience was encouraged to clap along. That was just a little too much kitsch, even at a somewhat informal concert. Maybe it was just me.
At any rate, I’m awfully glad I got a second live hearing of the Britten on a perfect evening in New York City. (The previous Naumburg concert ended mid-concert due to a huge downpour.) One more concert to go in the series—let’s hope for good weather on August 21.
ConcertMeister
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