Esprit Orchestra. Lisa Streich: Ishjärta. Peter Eötvös: Violin Concerto No. 2 “DoReMi” (Akiko Suwanai, soloist). Andrew Norman: Maintain. Alex Pauk, conductor. In Koerner Corridor, March 27, 2025.
In a downsizing world, Alex Pauk thinks huge. The founding inventive director and conductor of Esprit Orchestra assembled a cohort of 92 gamers Thursday night time to carry out works by three internationally eminent composers, two of them dwelling and current in Koerner Corridor. The outcomes have been partaking if typically a tad protracted and overwrought. Anton Webern is just not the influential determine he as soon as was.
The longest piece — about seven minutes longer than the 25 minutes marketed within the printed program — was Maintain (2018) by Andrew Norman, an American with many awards to his credit score. After a crisp ignition by two pianos tuned at a quarter-tone, a determine for descending strings took root, accelerating with every of 10 repetitions. One may suppose there to be a danger of blurring because the tempo intensified however intelligent orchestration (notably by fluttering trumpets) stored the decision eager.
All of it led to a loud central climax, after which calm was restored, however not musical curiosity, because the motifs turned more and more acquainted. The sensation of exhaustion was confirmed by the ultimate seconds, which channelled John Cage by requiring the strings to mime a protracted tone somewhat than play it.
In his program be aware the 45-year-old composer laments an age of atomized info and upholds the worth of listening to “a single, lengthy unbroken musical thought.” Maintain actually sounds built-in somewhat than fragmented and thus distinguishes itself from the run of latest grab-bags. However it’s value contemplating how uncommon it’s to discover a half-hour single motion in the usual repertoire and the prodigious degree of mastery — by Bruckner or Mahler — related to such an exploit.
Peter Eötvös: Violin Concerto No. 2 “DoReMi”
The late Peter Eötvös didn’t scruple to divide his 22-minute Violin Concerto No. 2 “DoReMi” (2011-12) into three actions, though listeners may properly have detected stylistic demarcations inside every, together with references to the scalar determine referenced by the title. It’s an exuberant rating, typically romantic, typically cartoonish, typically in horror-movie mode, however all the time respectful of the language of tonality (if not crucial harnessed to it).
Akiko Suwanai, winner of the 1990 Tchaikovsky Competitors, performed with heat and bravura. At factors it sounded as if a little bit Bruch or Sibelius was about to interrupt out. The orchestra underneath Pauk made constructive contributions. There was an enticing dialogue within the third motion with the principal viola and harp. I’m advised that the efficiency was recorded, which might clarify the forest of microphones on stage.
Lisa Streich: Ishjärta
The night started with the North American premiere of Ishjärta (“ice-fire”) by Lisa Streich, 39, a Swedish composer whose latest distinctions embody residencies on the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic and Lucerne Competition.
Ostensibly concerning the distinction embodied by the title, this 15-minute rating of 2022-23 trades very closely in off-kilter tuning. Name me old school, however the case could be made that such methods are simpler when utilized selectively. A violent pulse emerged within the midst of the music, supposedly representing a human coronary heart, though the sound was strictly mechanical.
The gang, confined as standard to the parterre, have been beneficiant of their whooping applause. Streich and Norman took bows.
There may be a lot stress as of late on airing new works by Canadians. Credit score Pauk and Esprit for maintaining us abreast of worldwide developments.
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Arthur Kaptainis was classical music critic of the Montreal Gazette from 1986 to 2022 and wrote for the Nationwide Publish from 2010 to 2016. His articles seem in Classical Voice North America and Gramophone in addition to Ludwig Van. Arthur holds an MA in musicology from the College of Toronto. He’s president of the Music Critics Affiliation of North America.