Switzerland Chopin, Beethoven: Bruce Liu (piano), Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich / Paavo Järvi (conductor). Tonhalle, Zurich, 4.10.2023. (VL)
Chopin – Piano Concerto No.1 in E minor, Op.11
Beethoven – Symphony No.5 in C minor, Op.67
For their concert, the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, conducted by Paavo Järvi, presented an entire evening showcasing renowned works by Beethoven and Chopin. They began with Canadian pianist Bruce Liu’s performance of Chopin’s Piano Concerto No.1 in E minor which ranks among the most important in music history.
The first movement is a robust and intense Allegro maestoso. The principal theme features a dark and dramatic motif consisting of rapid runs and dissonant chords. It commences with a brief, punctuated figure in the violins, subsequently picked up by the piano and developed into a brisk run. The run culminates with a dissonant chord, heightening the theme’s tension. It calls for considerable virtuosity and technical prowess from the pianist, and Liu admirably met these demands. His rendering of this movement was marked by tremendous intensity. He allowed himself to be carried away by the piece’s dark and impassioned ambiance, leaving the audience captivated by his brilliant performance and technical precision.
The second movement is a soothing and melancholic interlude, the Larghetto. It is initiated by the piano and subsequently echoed by the orchestra. This theme holds a central position in the first movement and now makes a reappearance in the second one. It commences with a brief, flowing melody in the piano’s upper registers, which is then reiterated and developed in the lower registers. The gentle melody of the second theme is often seen as an expression of Chopin’s affection for Konstancja Gładkowska, a Polish soprano with whom Chopin was presumably in love. Liu unfolded the melancholic beauty of the piece with great sensitivity and emotion.
The vivacious Rondo vivace serves as an excellent finale and requires a virtuosic approach. The theme commences with a brief, flowing melody in the violins, taken up by the piano and developed into a flowing, melodic section. Liu’s rendition of the Rondo was brimming with energy and enthusiasm, delighting the audience with his brilliant execution and technique.
As an encore, Bruce Liu presented Chopin’s Etude, Op.10 No.5 (‘Black Keys’). This etude, known for its swift and challenging passages on the black keys, further showcased Liu’s virtuosity.
After only a moment’s pause, the evening proceeded with Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. The iconic four-note ‘fate motif’ initiated the first movement, the Allegro con brio. Paavo Järvi led the orchestra with vitality and dynamism, expertly accentuating the build-up of tension. The musicians of the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich performed with precision and passion, brilliantly emphasizing the movement’s dynamics.
In the second movement, the Andante con moto, a serene and melancholic musical landscape unfurled. Järvi granted his orchestra abundant room for expression and interpretation and they rewarded him by playing with profound emotion and sensitivity, revealing the movement’s beauty.
Järvi presented the lively Scherzo with its minor key Trio with a touch of humour and playfulness. The orchestra executed the movement with remarkable ease and precision. The conclusion of the entire cycle was marked by a robust and triumphant finale. This was an outstanding rendition of Beethoven’s Fifth, leaving an indelible impression on the audience.
To the surprise of many, after the thunderous applause, the orchestra returned to the stage and delivered a truly exceptional encore: the Prometheus Overture, Beethoven’s powerful and dramatic composition embodying the spirit of Greek mythology.
Valérie Litz