3. Franz Welser-Möst taking a solo bow on an empty stage, called back long after the orchestra has left. The ultimate sign of respect from the audience.
This concert was to be the Mahler 9th with Esa-Pekka Salonen. Franz Welser-Möst stepped in as a replcement with this program.
October 19, 2010
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Franz Welser-Möst, conductor
Musikverein
Wagner: Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan
Bruckner: Symphony No. 9 in D minor
For the first time since I have been here, the Vienna Philharmonic played like the world-class group they are supposed to be. Their performances have ranged disappointing (with Dudamel) and pretty good With Harnoncourt) in previous concerts. However, this night, they played beyond reproach. One might wish for a different tone quality, balance, articulation, or any number of personal touches, but one could not fault them for what they did. This was how a great orchestra plays... their way, doing music they feel they own. So, enough about them. They were very, very good. Inspired, actually.
The question of the night is the conductor, Franz Welser-Möst, who is the Music Director of the Cleveland Orchestra, and more importantly in this case, the new Music Director of the Vienna State Opera, from which the musicians of the Vienna Philharmonic are selected. Whether his position as their new music director had any influence on how they played this night is disputable, maybe they just love Bruckner. Maybe it's a little of both.
Franz Welser-Möst has two major drawbacks in my mind. Both are clearly unfair to him... First, he bears an uncanny resemblance to the great comedian, singer and actor, Danny Kaye. If you have ever seen Danny Kaye conduct it is not an image you can rid yourself of easily. He had very successful second career as comedic conductor, and actually had better skills than many professional stick wavers. (If you haven't seem him, go to YouTube right now...), . He is just too funny. On the other hand, no one would accuse FW-M of being funny. So that's a problem for me. Secondly, he has been given the nickname by orchestra members in the USA and England, where he had a troubled tenure in front of the Lodon Philharmonic, of "Frankly Worse Than Most". The nickname is just too clever, and will stick with him forever in my mind.
My first experience of hm was when I saw a video of him conducting the Cleveland Orchestra in the Bruckner 5th, from the Cathedral in Linz, Bruckner's hometown, and the church under which he lies in a crypt. In the interviews on the DVD, FW(T)-M spoke quite eloquently about Bruckner. FW-M is also from Linz. It is clear he is totally committed to his music. However, watching the DVD, I felt it was the dullest, most mundane, uninspired performance I had ever heard. I didn't get it at all. He seemed, and the orchestra played, uninvolved. It was a huge disappointment. Of all major conductors in the world today, it is safe to say that FW-M has the widest gulf of opinion between those who admire him, and those who revile him.
As a result of all that, I came to this concert hoping against hope, having no idea what to expect. I must say at this concert, in many ways, I was very impressed. He does so much that I like in a conductor. He does not flail around like Bernstein and make the music and the concert become about him. I have always preferred conductors with a bit of stoicism, and reserve. Karajan and Haitink come to mind as examples of conductors who are clearly emotionally involved in the music, but not to the point that their personal experiences distract from the music. European conductors, especially those from Austria and Germany, tend to let the music speak for itself. American conductors, on the other hand, cue too much, beat their patterns too much, and generally don't display trust in either the musicians or the audiences. Now, I am not saying that is a fault. There are historical and practical reasons that Americans conduct the way they do. However, at the highest levels of music making, I don't want a traffic cop on the podium. As a student in Cleveland in the late 70s , I watched Lorin Maazel as the music director of the Cleveland Orchestra, and never warmed to that type of conductor.
As a result of all that, I came to this concert hoping against hope, having no idea what to expect. I must say at this concert, in many ways, I was very impressed. He does so much that I like in a conductor. He does not flail around like Bernstein and make the music and the concert become about him. I have always preferred conductors with a bit of stoicism, and reserve. Karajan and Haitink come to mind as examples of conductors who are clearly emotionally involved in the music, but not to the point that their personal experiences distract from the music. European conductors, especially those from Austria and Germany, tend to let the music speak for itself. American conductors, on the other hand, cue too much, beat their patterns too much, and generally don't display trust in either the musicians or the audiences. Now, I am not saying that is a fault. There are historical and practical reasons that Americans conduct the way they do. However, at the highest levels of music making, I don't want a traffic cop on the podium. As a student in Cleveland in the late 70s , I watched Lorin Maazel as the music director of the Cleveland Orchestra, and never warmed to that type of conductor.
Herbert Von Karajan is the exaggeration of the idea of the Germanic conductor. In the 15 or so concerts I saw him conduct live, I can remember him giving one instrumental cue... After 25 years in front of the same group of fabulous players, cues really weren't necessary. He said once, "the longer you work with an orchestra, the more difficult it is to make improvements. It's like mountain climbing, the higher you go, the thinner the air, and the more exhausting every step is", or something to that effect. American conductors are never given that luxury of working with the same group for such a long time. It's just not how things work here anymore...
Back to FW-M. Musically, I had very little argument with anything he did. He has a calm presence on the podium, His tempi are generally faster than I prefer, but he does a wonderful job of allowing the music to unfold by itself, not "oversteering" as it were, every few bars. Many, many conductors can't leave well enough alone. Not FW-M. Throughout the Wagner and Bruckner there was a steadiness that was admirable.
However, and this is a big however, he never let a big moment or climax truly happen. He seemed so unrelenting, that when the time came for the pay off, he seemed to already be moving on to the next section. All the steady buildup was wasted, in a manner of speaking. This is what the great ones: Karajan, Haintink, Abbado, Rattle (though he does misfire at times...) Solti, etc, never miss. The payoff. No matter how differently they may reach the goal, the goal is achieved. For me, FW-M misses many of the goals. Nothing felt accomplished, regardless of the quality of the journey up to that point. It was so bewildering, so disturbing that I was at times asking myself if he really understood the structure of the music he was conducting. Not the feeling you want to have at the end of a 20 minute movement of a Bruckner symphony.
For this reason, the Scherzo of the Bruckner was the best moment of the night. It is unrelenting. It never gives in. It is a manic, frightening whirlwind; one of the scariest things Bruckner (or anyone for that matter) ever wrote. FW-M nailed it.
Conversely the most disappointing moments were the climaxes of the 1st and 3rd movements. In each case, if he would have let his hand off of the throttle, just a touch, the results would have been overwhelming. Great Bruckner conductors: Karajan, Daniel Barenboin and Günther Wand do this. They know how to pace the great Bruckner codas. Franz Welser-Möst it seems, doesn't. It seems the Franz Welser-Möst is going to have a long career in front of great orchestras. I hope he displays some growth. It would be a shame if he remains the conductor he is in the music I love.
Not to end on a negative note, I'd like to close by praising the horns. The Bruckner 9th ends with a great Adagio. Bruckner didn't live to finish the symphony. The coda of this lovely movement asks much of the horns, and even though it ends without a finale, the piece clocks in at about an hour. The Vienna horns gave everything throughout the piece, coloring the orchestra with broad, golden brushstrokes. As the Adagio settles into its final elegaic moments the horns are asked to play very difficult soft, high and sustained passages... the last thing as a player that you want to do at the end of a long blow. The Vienna horn section played those final, delicate passages beautifully; with confidence, wonderful control, and no sense of struggle. Even though I wish FW-M had stretched out the final passages, it was still a beautiful, memorable moment.
Conversely the most disappointing moments were the climaxes of the 1st and 3rd movements. In each case, if he would have let his hand off of the throttle, just a touch, the results would have been overwhelming. Great Bruckner conductors: Karajan, Daniel Barenboin and Günther Wand do this. They know how to pace the great Bruckner codas. Franz Welser-Möst it seems, doesn't. It seems the Franz Welser-Möst is going to have a long career in front of great orchestras. I hope he displays some growth. It would be a shame if he remains the conductor he is in the music I love.
Not to end on a negative note, I'd like to close by praising the horns. The Bruckner 9th ends with a great Adagio. Bruckner didn't live to finish the symphony. The coda of this lovely movement asks much of the horns, and even though it ends without a finale, the piece clocks in at about an hour. The Vienna horns gave everything throughout the piece, coloring the orchestra with broad, golden brushstrokes. As the Adagio settles into its final elegaic moments the horns are asked to play very difficult soft, high and sustained passages... the last thing as a player that you want to do at the end of a long blow. The Vienna horn section played those final, delicate passages beautifully; with confidence, wonderful control, and no sense of struggle. Even though I wish FW-M had stretched out the final passages, it was still a beautiful, memorable moment.
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