Guest conductor Fabien Gabel took to the podium in Kodak Hall
on Thursday to lead the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. Already a popular
visiting artist — this was Gabel’s third consecutive season to guest conduct
the RPO — after this most recent performance one can only hope his presence
becomes a lasting annual tradition.
In the concert opener, Alexander Scriabin’s “Rêverie,” Gabel elicited a full, robust sound from the
orchestra that would hint at what was to come in PyotrIlyich Tchaikovsky’s “Symphony No. 6 in B Minor,” set
to close the program.
In the meantime, there was Johannes Brahms’s Concerto for
Violin and Cello in A Minor — no mere filler. There was both somberness and
strength in cellist Julie Albers’s playing, which provided the ideal
counterpoint to violinist Karen Gomyo’s sparkling
expressivity. Under Gabel’s direction, the orchestra’s collective warmth in
tone was impressive and endearing. The balance of volume between the two
soloists and the ensemble was near-perfect, and the orchestra’s confidence and
cohesion was abundantly evident.
Gabel emphasized the RPO’s role as vital collaborator with
the soloists, instead of relegating the orchestra to mere backing band. This
symphonic vibrancy was the performance’s greatest quality, and Gabel’s
conducting style — grand without being ostentatious, fluid and legato yet clear
— made the sound all the more vivid.
Brahms’s melodies frequently manage to be both elegant and
homey at the same time, and the resulting blend in the double concerto’s second
movement, in particular, was sublime. But the credit doesn’t go to the composer
alone. The chemistry between Albers and Gomyo was
much more than just perfunctory. Their performance together transcended mere rhythmic
synchronicity as the two musicians matched one another’s emotional pitch.
Still, the crowning achievement of the evening was
Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6, also known as “Pathétique.”
The RPO’s interpretation of the piece was appropriately lush. Gabel exercised
exquisite control with regard to both dynamics and the momentum of the
phrasing. His sense of pace during the transition between the “Adagio” and the
“Allegro non troppo” of the first movement was
spot-on. Additionally, the brass section sounded as formidable as I’ve ever
heard it, especially during the ferocity of the “Allegro non troppo.”
In the second movement, the energy and attentiveness to
detail among the members of the orchestra was palpable. The instruments’
articulations were precise, and Tchaikovsky’s unfaltering melodic flow was
prominent.
But the highlight came in the third of the four movements,
“Allegro molto vivace.” The combination of nimbleness
and sheer sonic force was remarkable. This was the sound of a resplendent
orchestra at the height of its powers. Gabel succeeded in stretching the
expressive range of the players like never before, a greater variance in
dynamics, a more complex palette of moods, and a greater unity of sound.
Unequivocally, this was the best RPO performance I’ve heard
since I began covering the ensemble in 2013. The program repeats on Saturday,
and it cannot come more highly recommended.
This article appears in Jan 13-19, 2016.
