This second evening in a three-day Carnegie Hall residency as part of the Czech Philharmonic’s North American tour and New York City’s contribution to the 2024 Year of Czech Music, especially noteworthy as it marks both the 100th anniversary of its founding and the bicentennial of Bedřich Smetana.
In Dvořák’s Violin Concerto, Gil Shaham, with his effortless brilliance and sense of spontaneity, commanded attention from his very first notes. Throughout he exuded joy and seemed totally invigorated by the music, even when he was not playing. With his warm and silky tone – a perfect match for the Czechs’ rich and glowing sound – he brought an open freshness and sweetness to the work’s folk-infused melodies, the orchestra providing him with consistently alert support, especially the shimmering woodwinds in the flowing espressivo melody of the Adagio. In the Finale the Slavonic dance-rhythms displayed a winning spring, the orchestra accompanying with matching flair. For an encore, Shaham offered an animated account of the playful ‘Gavotte en Rondeau’ from Bach’s E-major Partita, BWV1006.
After intermission came Mahler Five, which Semyon Bychkov and the Czechs have recorded for Pentatone. Walter Hofbauer’s penetrating trumpet fanfare cued a well-paced, warmly affective account, which showcased the opulence and sophistication of the orchestra’s sound. The unhurried tempo of the Funeral March sped up or slowed down in choice spots but managed to maintain a steady sense of forward movement. The sprightly third movement, with the prominent horn solo brilliantly executed by Jan Vobořil, and the alternations between the folksy ländler themes and elegant waltz rhythms nicely balanced, poignant and full of passion. The emotional highlight was the luminous, expressively shaped Adagietto. With the harp planted center-stage between the second violins and cellos, the interweaving strings sounded especially reflective and dreamlike. A crisply detailed rendition of the Finale brought a wonderful evening to a life-affirming end.
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