New York Philharmonic – Manfred Honeck conducts Beethoven 7 – Vikingur Ólafsson plays Brahms’s First Piano Concerto

The evening opened with a refreshing and commanding account of the Beethoven, Manfred Honeck leaving no doubt as to his mastery of the Austro-German tradition. His robust but unforced approach elicited sumptuous playing,allowing the music to flow freely, continually sounding spontaneous, and his control of dynamics was especially impressive. The first movement’s introduction exhibited some uncommonly delicate and precise pianissimos, and the Vivace was notable for its dazzling dance rhythms. After an unusually long pause between movements, the whisper-soft opening of the sublime Allegretto ensnared the listener, and the Scherzo featured some wonderfully lithe-sounding winds before segueing directly into the forceful Finale, delivered with energy to burn.

Honeck kept a taut line on the structure of Brahms’s First Piano Concerto, a youthful and tumultuous composition of symphonic scale, opening with a thunderous and dramatic role for timpani, and only after an extensive introduction does the piano join in. Vikingur Ólafsson’s initially introspective playing contrasted strongly with the brawniness in the ensuing trills. His approach was marked by eloquent, idiosyncratic touches and thoughtful use of rubato, most evident in the singing lines of the poignantly sustained Adagio, where both he and the orchestra displayed delicate, sotto voce control. As he tossed off the challenges of the final movement, the orchestral playing displayed tremendous elan leading to a thrilling ending.

After interrupting the ovation to say what an incredible experience it had been collaborating with Honeck for the first time, Ólafsson offered two encores, both by Rameau: a tender account of ‘The Arts and the Hours’, the pianist’s transcription of an interlude from Les Boréades, and a highly spirited rendition of ‘Le Rappel des Oiseaux’.

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