Saxophone Concerto (John Adams)
Symphony No. 2 (Brahms)
Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
Timothy McAllister (saxophone)
Edo de Waart (conductor)
It was an interesting to hear how the orchestra responded to its former music director on the podium again. The cello solo employed a broad tempo to begin the overture with a lot of vibrato in rich tone. A quiet start to the storm section before exploding into a full thundering climax. Though under a steady tempo the impact was not as terrifying as expected. Beautiful duet between the cor anglais and flute during the pastoral scene. The closing gallop was tidy and majestic, also effective accelerando geared towards a triumphant close.
John Adams's saxophone concert felt alike a busy rhythmic exercise for the soloist. Fragmented patterns jointed jazz and blues together for a hurry and restless ride. The brass kept the momentum going but hard to tell where the music was sailing to. At reaching the middle of the first movement then the orchestra played without the soloist. The dreamy transition was enigmatic yet the saxophone solo had a more lyrical part than previously. The music landscape became flatter and calmer before returning to fierce gallop, and then retreated to a quiet end.
The second movement dominated by syncopated patterns and stayed vigorous on momentum. It was a tight dance in irregular phrases but also abstract as to where the music was heading to. Timothy McAllister sustained the energy throughout in his playing and kept the music flowing naturally. Though the dynamic and emotion contrast were more able to display in his encore.
The orchestra kept the dawn awakening like introduction to Brahms's second symphony flowed with a warm gentle tone and not too weighty in body. Neither aggressive at the climatic exuberance and stayed bright with a lot of legato to sustain the line. Though whether to do with de Waart's conducting style, the winds sometimes felt a fraction behind the strings. Tempo was rather laid back for a gentle and unhurried gallop at the end of the first movement.
The cellos began the noble theme of the second movement in a mellow warm tone that gave a tender and sunny impression. A misty respond from the winds against the emotional outpouring from the strings. Yet as in Brahms's style sentimental negotiation never reach a full answer but hold back by the recapitulation of the noble theme. The tragic sentiments gained more weight before resolving to a quiet end.
The winds began the pastoral scene of the third movement with a busy strings' part underlaid. Rhythmically it gained momentum yet carried more lyricism within.
An explosive start to the last movement in an energetic gallop. The transitions felt rather enigmatic though, which the lines would have been more effective if there was an aim than a mere shape. The majestic theme was passionately rendered in a warm tone. After a long negotiation the music finally located the end in certain with a glorious triumphant conclusion.
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