The Portland Symphony Orchestra opened its 89th season at Merrill Auditorium Sunday with proof positive that there is no substitute for live music. There were nuances in the performances of the Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 4 and Prokofiev’s Fifth Symphony that have never been captured by electronics.
As one example, how many people have heard the piano part of the Prokofiev Fifth – subdued but necessary?
The most striking revelation came with the awe-inspiring performance of the Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major Op. 58, by Orli Shaham, that earned, for once, a really deserved standing ovation.
Shaham demonstrated that there is another way of “singing” on the piano – trills and passage work so rapid and even that the result is a sustained tone rather than individual notes.
It seems to me that the effect is exactly what Beethoven wanted, not meretricious ornamentation or show-off virtuosity.
(The above is a partial review. The full text will appear in the Portland Press Herald on Tuesday, Oct. 1.)
Copy the Story Link
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.