Andris Nelsons conducts the New York Philharmonic.
by Paul J. Pelkonen
Before delving into today's review of the
New York Philharmonic's concert of Thursday, February 7th, let us take a moment to consider...the oboe.
Approximately two feet in length, this black double reed instrument is the softest and most difficult to play of all the woodwinds. Its unique, plaintive tone quality requires very fine breath control and the ability to blend expertly with other instruments and yet stand out as a solo voice when needed.
On Thursday night, New York Philharmonic principal oboist Liang Wang played a key role in all three works on the program. The concert, conducted by Latvian maestro Andris Nelsons, featured three works: Antonín Dvořák's orchestral fairy tale
The Noon-Day Witch, Johannes Brahms'
Violin Concerto, and finally Béla Bartók's
Concerto for Orchestra which gave Mr. Wang and most of his fellow musicians a turn in the limelight.
The program opened with the Dvořák
, a work added to the orchestra's repertory by music director Alan Gilbert in 2011. Mr. Nelsons conducted with broad, bold strokes, capturing the rustic spirit of this music without resorting to vulgarity. Mr. Wang represented the playful voice of the child whose mischief comes to a terrible mortal end at the hands of the titular witch. Powerful playing from the brass marked the child's end, and the work was spurred to a massive rhythmic climax.
