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 creative director and conductor of Esprit Orchestra assembled a cohort of 92 gamers Thursday evening to carry out works by three internationally eminent composers, two of them dwelling and current in Koerner Corridor. The outcomes had been partaking if typically a tad protracted and overwrought. Anton Webern shouldn’t be 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 threat of blurring because the tempo intensified however intelligent orchestration (notably by fluttering trumpets) saved 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 an extended tone quite than play it.
In his program notice the 45-year-old composer laments an age of atomized data and upholds the worth of listening to “a single, lengthy unbroken musical thought.” Maintain definitely sounds built-in quite than fragmented and thus distinguishes itself from the run of up to date 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 stage 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 nicely 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 at all times respectful of the language of tonality (if not vital harnessed to it).
Akiko Suwanai, winner of the 1990 Tchaikovsky Competitors, performed with heat and bravura. At factors it sounded as if slightly Bruch or Sibelius was about to interrupt out. The orchestra underneath Pauk made optimistic contributions. There was a fascinating dialogue within the third motion with the principal viola and harp. I’m informed 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 current distinctions embrace residencies on the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic and Lucerne Pageant.
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 will be made that such methods are more practical 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 group, confined as ordinary to the parterre, had been beneficiant of their whooping applause. Streich and Norman took bows.
There’s a lot stress lately on airing new works by Canadians. Credit score Pauk and Esprit for preserving 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.
