A jubilant finale to the Tonhalle's European tour with Paavo Järvi

Paavo Järvi had a glint in his eye. Now at the end of a European tour taking in Hamburg, Paris, Frankfurt and Cologne, the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich were going out with a bang! Turning ever so slightly to his left, Järvi cast the audience a cheeky grin as they set off on the third encore of the evening, Brahms’ Hungarian Dance No. 1. The orchestra makes much of their relationship with their American-Estonian Musical Director, citing the special energy he brings to their music-making and how no two concerts are the same. The sheer joy we witnessed on stage in the Philharmonie Essen tonight, bears witness to that statement. Rarely do you see such joy and camaraderie from a group of musicians who play together for so much of the year. Their energy was infectious, and they did not disappoint.

The programme

The evening’s surprise

The evening started with a hugely attractive work, György Ligeti’s Concert Românesc (1951) which is essentially a series of folk tunes evoking the Transylvanian countryside of the composer’s youth. Colourful, raw, abrasive, metallic, unpredictable, and even at times Klezmer-like, Ligeti manages to encompass all forms of human interaction in a single work, from wandering through a pastoral countryside, to the finale’s depiction of bustling city life. And whereas some recordings may perhaps push the tempo and thus increase the madness, Järvi found a happy equilibrium where all was accessible and hugely entertaining. From the solo violin’s playful Hungarian dance rhythms (echoing music of fellow compatriot, Béla Bártok) to bustling sul ponticello cellos, swarming like locusts; and Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue-like clarinet interjections. Antiphonal off-stage horn melodies accompanied by violin twitterings at the extremes of the range to finish, narrowed the lens and left us wanting more.

The concerto

Concerts earlier in the week had featured Icelandic pianist, Vikingur Ólafsson performing Beethoven’s Fifth Piano Concerto. But tonight was the turn of the Philharmonie Essen’s Artist in Residence, Anna Vinnitskaya performing Schumann’s Piano Concerto in A minor op. 54. Launching straight in, we had no hint of the lack of communication which critics had noted in performance earlier in the year. Lovely orchestral phrasing mirrored the piano as it sashayed between the grandiose and more sprightly passages. An intensely emotional second theme, echoed beautifully by the clarinet and cellos, settled the nerves and set the tone. This was not a showy interpretation from the petite Russian pianist but one dominated by dialogue. Järvi, the fatherly figure overseeing all in his midst, gently tweaked the sound palette with a mixture of subtle and fleetingly fearsome gestures.

Two qualities set this performance apart. Firstly, the interplay between cellos and piano mesmerised the hall. After the naive simplicity of the Intermezzo’s opening, the entire cello section indulged their romantic urges to the full, relishing every morsel while the piano sat firmly in the background, producing chamber music of the highest quality. Even the timpanist was left smiling. Secondly, Vinnitskaya’s love of counterpoint, and more specifically, left-hand countermelodies showcased her amazing physical strength for one so small. Hinted at in the cadenza, this love became more evident in the playful Allegro vivace. Light and shade abounded, and while perhaps some might have preferred a more robust finale, the audience were not disappointed.

taking a bow — Paavo Järvi and Anna Vinnitskaya soaking the applause | © Clare Varney

The encores

Five curtain calls later, Vinnitskaya treated us to the first of two encores: the child-like simplicity of Schumann’s Kinderzenen “Scenes from Childhood” Op. 15 no.1, followed swiftly by Rachmaninov’s much darker, yet ethereal and at times comforting, Études Tableaux Op.33 No. 2 in C. A real gem!

The symphony

Schumann’s Third Symphony, premiered in Düsseldorf (1851) where the composer lived for three years with his wife Clara. It was named after, and inspired by the River Rhine, hence the title, “The Rhenish”. For anyone harbouring doubts as to the attractiveness of Schumann’s symphonic works, tonight’s performance surely converted the few with a reading full of energy, explosive accents, dance rhythms, contrapuntal details, beautiful phrasing and tight discipline. Feisty and fulsome horns, weighty yet nimble double basses, earthy cellos, confident second violins and crystal clear flutes all had their moment to shine.

A jubilant finale

Järvi’s uncanny ability to pick tempos which just work, allowed darker and more reflective passages in the Fierlich to contrast vividly with the outer movements. A fun-filled finale (complete with another cheeky grin from the podium, just in case anyone was in doubt that all were having fun!) concluded with satisfyingly triumphant brass. A rousing end to the Tonhalle’s tour.