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 massive. The founding creative 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 residing and current in Koerner Corridor. The outcomes have been participating if generally 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 would possibly suppose there to be a threat 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 an extended tone fairly than play it.
In his program notice 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 definitely sounds built-in fairly than fragmented and thus distinguishes itself from the run of up to date grab-bags. However it’s price 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 would possibly nicely have detected stylistic demarcations inside every, together with references to the scalar determine referenced by the title. It’s an exuberant rating, generally romantic, generally cartoonish, generally in horror-movie mode, however all the time respectful of the language of tonality (if not obligatory 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 below Pauk made constructive contributions. There was an interesting 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 latest distinctions embody 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 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 group, confined as typical to the parterre, have been beneficiant of their whooping applause. Streich and Norman took bows.
There’s a lot stress nowadays 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.
