LSO - Classics with a Twist

 

Lansing Symphony’s Music Director, Timothy Muffitt, has a knack for programming a concert that is interesting, unpredictable but always a pleasure to listen to.

Saturday’s (March 19, 2022) performance was a perfect example. It opened not with an overture or a cute ditty, but with an 11-piece wind, harpsichord and percussion ensemble standing in a semicircle, to play the beguiling Suite Francaise by Poulenc.

It was a bold and refreshing programming choice.  The ensemble played this charming and humorous neo-classical work beautifully. The seven movements gave the listener a broad variety of musical styles to enjoy.  The musicians performed with a lovely blend.

The brass melted together with velvet chords and oboist Stephanie Shapiro had a chance to shine with some stunning solo moments.

After an opening like that, the audience didn’t know what to expect.  What they got was something that was unusual but shouldn’t be - a Haydn Symphony.

Although Haydn sounds simple, it takes a lot of orchestral discipline to do it justice, and many orchestras do not make it a habit to play Papa Haydn often.  This was a welcome surprise, and one where the orchestra showed off its musical maturity. 

Muffitt usually likes to re-arrange the seating order of the strings (1^st and 2^nd violins across from each other and cellos inside) for classical pieces, which he did here. The Haydn Symphony No. 90 in C Major called for a small orchestra, about 50 players, and the group sounded clean, transparent and expressive. Principal flutist Richard Sherman played some spectacular solos, but the entire orchestra sparkled.

The soloist for the evening was the young and popular Conrad Tao. The 28-year-old composer and pianist has had a firecracker career for such a young performer. 

To continue with the classical theme of the evening, Tao played AND conducted Mozart’s Piano Concerto No 24 in C Minor. Conducting and soloing in a piano concerto takes a special blend of talents. It has been done successfully by Ashkenazy, Barenboim and Bernstein – all very accomplished at both required abilities.   

Although Tao is a brilliant pianist, his conducting skills are sorely lacking. He did not display confidence when he led the orchestra and his stick technique (even though he didn’t actually use a baton) was difficult to follow. At the very beginning, for instance, the orchestra did not come in together.

As a pianist, Tao has superb technique and at times played this wonderful concerto with deep expression and depth.  At other times, he was loud and almost bombastic, especially during his cadenza. It sounded more like Beethoven than Mozart.

He didn’t appear comfortable with juggling his playing and conducting roles together.  At times, when he was conducting, he almost ran back to the keyboard to begin his solo playing just in time. For me, it was unnerving to watch him switch from orchestra to piano so abruptly.

Besides the conducting/playing confusion; Tao was clearly a gifted pianist and a very charismatic performer.