Alan Gilbert conducts the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
(Yes, you read that right!)
by Paul J. Pelkonen
Holding the position of Music Director at one of North America's "Big Five" orchestras is a time-consuming business. So it is rare to hear Alan Gilbert, who currently reigns at the New York Philharmonic, conduct an orchestra other than his own. When that "other" orchestra is the prestigious Boston Symphony Orchestra, that opportunity becomes an extraordinary one.
On Friday afternoon at Symphony Hall, Mr. Gilbert offered a potent mix of comparative 20th century rarities with stolid favorites. He started with the most radical work on the program: Henri Dutilleux' four-movement Métaboles. Dutilleux writes spidery music, subtle yet capable of great impact on the listener. This work consists of four connected movements, each building on the chords and key signatures of the one before to create an organic structure of sound.
Although the score of Métaboles employs enormous orchestral resources, its utterances are often cryptic. A stentorian, short theme is blared. In its wake, one hears the keening buzz of a violin or viola answered by taps of percussion, a blurted note from the heavy brass. This intricate work was played lovingly by the Boston forces, who clearly enjoyed meeting the challenges of the score under Mr. Gilbert's precise leadership.
(Yes, you read that right!)
by Paul J. Pelkonen
 |
| Alan Gilbert conducts the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Photo by Stu Rosner © 2013 Boston Symphony Orchestra. |
On Friday afternoon at Symphony Hall, Mr. Gilbert offered a potent mix of comparative 20th century rarities with stolid favorites. He started with the most radical work on the program: Henri Dutilleux' four-movement Métaboles. Dutilleux writes spidery music, subtle yet capable of great impact on the listener. This work consists of four connected movements, each building on the chords and key signatures of the one before to create an organic structure of sound.
Although the score of Métaboles employs enormous orchestral resources, its utterances are often cryptic. A stentorian, short theme is blared. In its wake, one hears the keening buzz of a violin or viola answered by taps of percussion, a blurted note from the heavy brass. This intricate work was played lovingly by the Boston forces, who clearly enjoyed meeting the challenges of the score under Mr. Gilbert's precise leadership.
