Beethoven Concerto And ‘The Planets' Makes A Worthy Season Finale | AspenTimes.Com

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Spano displayed his best conducting of the season, showing intensity and an eye toward the dramatic.

The star of the show, though, was Bronfman. His legerdemain at the keyboard was in full display in the Beethoven, driving the tempo in the opening movement and softening the texture in the slow movement without losing the pulse.

Dazzling with virtuosity in the many fast-moving gestures, always musically alert, the pianist shaped each phrase with just the right flair. Each of the many scales had a different shading, and the tinkly decorations Beethoven sprinkled liberally in lighter moments made me picture shimmering diamonds.

Known as a Beethoven master, Bronfman emphasized where emphasis was needed, and eased up when letting the music flow.

Spano made sure the orchestra was on the same page, which made for an unforgettable performance all around.

⁘The Planets⁘ was an intriguing choice for a big finale, with an enormous orchestra and plenty of exotic colors in the instrumentation. Even non-fans of classical music would recognize much of the music, which has been used for movies and television, even by rock bands.

It's been a while since I have heard a live performance of the whole thing, and let's just say it stands the test of time.

The orchestra caught the whimsy in the recurring six-beat rhythm for the bassoon melody in ⁘Uranus, the Magician,⁘ which struck me this time as a cousin to Dukas's ⁘Sorcerer's Apprentice.⁘ (Remember Mickey Mouse in ⁘Fantasia⁘?)

The instrumental solos throughout were top-notch too, especially several limpid moments from concertmaster Alexander Kerr. Timpanists Edward Stephan and Will Howald executed their ⁘duels⁘ on multiple kettle drums with particular flair.