Variations on an international theme

Juanjo Mena

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Who: The St. Louis Symphony conducted by Juanjo Mena with pianist Benedetto Lupo
What: Music of Ginastera, Rachmaninoff, and Elgar
When: Friday through Sunday, February 28 – March 2, 2014
Where: Powell Symphony Hall

[Want to know more about the music?  Check out the symphony program notes and my symphony preview blog post.]

"Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful."  So runs Sammy Cahn's lyric for the 1945 holiday favorite "Let it Snow! Let it Snow!  Let it Snow!" Substitute "music" for "fire" and you have a good summary of this weekend's symphony concerts. 

Making his SLSO debut, Juanjo Mena is on the podium for a virtuoso reading of Alberto Ginastera's "Variaciones concertantes" that showcased many of our fine principal players (including Erik Harris on bass, which is not an instrument that gets a lot of solos normally), a blazing Rachmaninoff "Paganini Variations" with Benedetto Lupo tearing up the keyboard, and lushly romantic performance of Elgar's "Enigma Variations."

As you might gather from the preceding paragraph, the unifying concept this weekend is the durability and variety of the "theme and variations" format.  The form has been a favorite of composers for centuries, from the Renaissance right up to the present day. The three examples on this weekend's program are all by composers who wrote in the 20th century and cover a span of over fifty years, from 1898 to 1953.

The most recent work is the one that opens the concerts, the "Variaciones concertantes," op. 23 by the Argentine composer Alberto Ginastera.  Originally composed for chamber ensemble, it's being performed here with an expanded string section (fifty players) that turns it into a work for full orchestra. It takes the conventional theme and variations form and combines it with a concept that emerged mainly in the 20th century, the "concerto for orchestra"—a work in which each section of the ensemble gets an opportunity to take the spotlight. 

That gave a dozen of the orchestra's principal players a chance to demonstrate, as all the symphony's musicians have so often in the past, that this is an ensemble of virtuosi.  Bear with me as I try to give all of them the credit they deserve. 

The main theme was first played softly and with great feeling by Principal Harp Allegra Lilly and Principal Cello Daniel Lee.  An interludio for the strings led to the giocosa ("playful") variation for flute—played with stunning virtuosity by Associate Principal Andrea Kaplan—followed by an equally impressive performance of the variation in modo di Scherzo by Principal Clarinet Scott Andrews.  Next was the drammatica variation for viola, delivered with wonderful intensity by Principal Beth Guterman Chu; the canonica variation, hauntingly rendered by Acting Co-Principal Oboe Barbara Orland and Principal Bassoon Andrew Cuneo; and the brief but striking ritmica variation (actually more of a fanfare) for trumpet and trombone (Principal Trumpet Karin Bliznik, Associate Principal Trumpet Tom Drake, and Principal Trombone Tim Meyers).  That led to what is probably the most difficult variation of the lot, the Moto perpetuo variation for violin, dashed off with deceptive ease by Concertmaster David Halen.

A lovely pastorale variation by Principal Horn Roger Kaza was folllowed by a chorale interlude from the wind section, which was followed in turn by a restatement of the main theme by harp and string bass (a wonderfully delicate performance from Principal Erik Harris).  It all wrapped up with a lively finale in modo di Rondo based on the malambo, a dance form that originated with Argentine gauchos and which crops up in other works by Ginastera—most notably as the finale of his 1941 ballet Estancia.

Mr. Mena conducted all this with an animated, loose-limbed, and rather sinuous grace, almost dancing his way through the final variation.  Here, as in the program as a whole, his tempo and dynamics choices showed a flair for the dramatic that was well suited to the material.

Benedetto Lupo

Next was one of the great virtuoso showpieces of the twentieth century, Rachmaninoff’s flashy "Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini" from 1934.  The Russian expatriate was one of the previous century’s great virtuoso pianists and the "Rhapsody" served him well as he toured America and Europe.  The piece is a sort of mini-concerto, consisting of 24 variations on (appropriately) the twenty-fourth and last of Niccolò Paganini's "Caprices" for solo violin—a tune that has proved irresistible for composers from Liszt to Andrew Lloyd Webber.

The soloist for the Rachmaninoff was Benedetto Lupo, making his second appearance with the symphony.  When he was competing in the final round of the 1989 Van Cliburn Competition (in which he took the bronze medal), Lupo was described by critic Joseph Horowitz as a performer whose "musicianship, taste, and tenderness make him impossible not to like."  I'd add that he also has a powerful technique that served him well Friday night in Mr. Mena's dynamic and sometimes hair raisingly brisk approach to this piece.  The introduction and final six variations—difficult enough at any tempo—were especially speedy, which made Mr. Lupo's performance all the more impressive.

That's not to say he lacked delicacy and lyricism when it was called for.  The famous 18th variation (often presented alone on "greatest hits" discs and classical radio stations) was as warm and romantic as one would wish.  This was, in short, a totally engrossing performance, delivered with minimum of flash and maximum of musicianship.

The evening concluded with a work that could probably be classed as one of Edward Elgar’s greatest hits, the “Enigma Variations” from 1989-99.  Effectively a musical family album, the fourteen variations are vivid and varied little sound portraits of Elgar, his wife, and his friends.  They're filled with humorous touches (like the portrait of a swimming bulldog in variation 11) and fascinating instrumental details.  My favorite example of the latter is variation 13, dedicated to an unnamed lady friend on a sea voyage, in which the solo clarinet (Associate Principal Diana Haskell) playes a phrase from Mendelssohn's "Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage" over an eerie pianissimo roll played on the tympani with wooden side drum sticks (nicely done by Shannon Wood).  Elgar meant the sound to suggest "the distant throb of engines of a liner."

Here, again, Mr. Mena made the most of this score's many moods.  Tempo contrasts were marked—the first variation felt a bit slower than the score's Andante, for example—but not exaggerated, and orchestral details were nicely highlighted. His approach to the famous "Nimrod" variation (often heard as a stand-alone work, like the Rachmaninoff 18th) was particularly passionate—very appropriate for a musical portrait of August Jaegar, a champion of Elgar's music and a close, beloved friend.  The orchestra played with its customary virtuosity.  The performance was, overall, a thing of beauty.

Next week, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos is on the podium to conduct the orchestra and chorus in Verdi's "Requiem" with soloists Angel Blue (soprano), Julia Gertseva (mezzo-soprano), Aquiles Machado (tenor), and Riccardo Zanellato (bass).  The concerts are Friday and Saturday, January 24 and 25, at 8 PM. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

Varied variations

Alberto Ginastera

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This weekend at the symphony, BBC Chief Conductor Juanjo Mena is on the podium for a series of variations on the theme of the theme and variations. Which is not as confusing as it looks. All three of the works on the program are examples of the "theme and variations" form, in which a single melodic thread is used to spin a complex tapestry of music.

The form has been a favorite of composers for centuries, from the Renaissance right up to the present day. "Beethoven was especially fond of it," writes Paul Schiavo in his program notes, "and cultivated it brilliantly. But Handel, Bach, Mozart, Schubert, Brahms, Copland, Schoenberg, and many other composers used it profitably." The three examples on this weekend's program are all by composers who wrote in the 20th century and cover a span of over fifty years, from 1898 to 1953.

The most recent work is the one that opens the concerts, the "Variaciones concertantes," op. 23 by the Argentine composer Alberto Ginastera. It takes the conventional theme and variations form and combines it with a concept that emerged mainly in the 20th century, the "concerto for orchestra"—a work in which each section of the ensemble gets an opportunity to take the spotlight. Bartok's "Concerto for Orchestra" (which the symphony did just last month, under Andrés Orozco-Estrada) is probably the most famous example. Benjamin Britten's "Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra" is another.

Rachmaninoff in
California, 1919

Ginastera adds a bit of whimsy by giving each variation a descriptive title: " Variazione giocosa per Flauto" ("Playful variation for flute"), "Variazione drammatica per Viola" ("Dramatic variation for viola"), "Variazione in modo di Moto perpetua per Violino" ("Variation in perpetual motion style for violin"), and so on. "These variations have a subjective Argentine character," writes the composer in his notes for the Boosey and Hawkes edition of the score. "Instead of using folkloristic material, I try to achieve an Argentine atmosphere through the employment of my own thematic and rhythmic elements...All the instruments of the orchestra are treated soloistically. Some variations belong to the decorative, ornamental or elaborative type, others are written in the contemporary manner of metamorphosis, which consists of taking elements of the main theme and evolving from it new material." Should be a good workout for our "orchestra of virtuosos."

Next is one of the great virtuoso showpieces of the twentieth century, Rachmaninoff's flashy "Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini" from 1934. The Russian expatriate was one of the previous century's great virtuoso pianists and the "Rhapsody" served him well as he toured America and Europe. He played solo role in the premiere performance, of course—in Baltimore, Maryland, with the Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by another giant of 20th-century music, Leopold Stokowski.

The piece is a sort of mini-concerto, consisting of 24 variations on (appropriately) the twenty-fourth and last of Niccolò Paganini's "Caprices" for solo violin – a tune that has proved irresistible for composers from Liszt to Andrew Lloyd Webber. Listen for the quote of the Latin plainchant "Dies Irae" (a theme that crops up often on Rachmaninoff's music) about a third of the way through and note the extreme technical difficulty of the last variation. Even Rachmaninoff was said to have found it scary.

Benedetto Lupo

That brings us to the soloist, who appears to be well equipped to perform that scary music. Although Italian pianist Benedetto Lupo's career got a major shot in the arm when he took the bronze (now the crystal) medal at the 1989 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition (where technical expertise is more or less a given), he was already a fairly seasoned pianist at the time, with nearly twenty concertos in his repertoire. By now he has played with prominent orchestras worldwide and has been a frequent recitalist as well. His recordings include the complete works for piano and orchestra by Robert Schumann as well as the "Concerto Soirée" by his mentor, the film composer Nino Rota. "He currently teaches at the Nino Rota Conservatory in Monopoli, Italy," according to the official biography at his agent's web site, "has several students who are enjoying a notable performing career, gives master classes worldwide and has been invited to be a jury member in several renowned international piano competitions."

Elgar, circa 1900

The evening concludes with a work that could probably be classed as one of Edward Elgar's greatest hits, the “Enigma Variations” from 1989-99. Effectively a musical family album, the fourteen variations are vivid little sound portraits of Elgar, his wife, and his friends. Even a pet bulldog puts in an appearance in a comical variation (number 11) that portrays the dog tumbling down a grassy bank into the river Wye and then, according to the composer, "paddling up stream to find a landing place (bars 2 and 3) and his rejoicing bark on landing (second half of bar 5."

The “Enigma” of the title, according to Elgar, refers to “another and larger theme” which is “not played”. The composer never revealed what that theme might be and speculation has been lively ("most convincingly Auld Lang Syne," according to the late British musicologist Robin Golding) but I'm inclined to go along with the school of thought that the “theme” to which Elgar referred wasn't musical at all but rather the common thread of friendship and good humor that pervades the music.

Juanjo Mena

A native of Vitoria-Gasteiz, the capital city of the province of lava and of the autonomous community of the Basque Country in northern Spain, guest conductor Mena has led orchestras throughout Europe. Here in the USA he has conducted in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Cincinnati, Baltimore, Houston and Pittsburgh. This is his first appearance with the St. Louis Symphony, though, so it will be interesting to see what he does with this material. His Richard Strauss performances got enthusiastic reviews in Britain and his Mozart 40th with the Los Angeles Philharmonic was lavishly praised by the L.A. Times. Similar acclaim was heaped on his Shubert 9th with the Oslo Philharmonic. So he certainly comes highly recommended.

The essentials: Juanjo Mena conducts the St. Louis Symphony, with pianist Benedetto Lupo, in Alberto Ginastera's "Variaciones concertantes," Rachmaninoff's "Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini," and Elgar's "Enigma Variations (Variations on an Original Theme)" Friday and Saturday at 8 PM and Sunday at 3 PM, February 28-March 2, at Powell Hall in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org. The Saturday concert will be broadcast live on St. Louis Public Radio at 90.7 FM, HD 1, and streaming from the station web site. But, of course, it 's best heard live.