Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Iván Fischer and his BUDAPEST FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA triumph yet again in their exploration of Dvořák and Mahler

• By drediman
• February 26, 2020
• No Comments

Iván Fischer leads his Budapest Festival Orchestra at David Geffen Hall.

This past Sunday and Monday at David Geffen Hall, as part of Lincoln Center’s Great Performers series, I had the great privilege of experiencing the celebrated Budapest Festival Orchestra perform two different bills – one was an all-Dvořák program, the other an all-Mahler evening. Over the years, the orchestra has become one of my very favorite classical music ensembles the globe over (their renditions of Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro and Don Giovanni at previous Lincoln Center and Mostly Mozart festivals in my mind remain definitive), particularly as led by the orchestra’s founder and maestro, the brilliant Iván Fischer.

Overall, Sunday afternoon’s all-Dvořák program was an uncommonly uplifting and heartwarming experience. The program began with a trio of short, relatively unknown works by the Czech composer. Most notable among them was Slavonic Dance Op. 46, No. 7, which the Budapest forces rousingly performed with infectious rhythm and verve (the other two pieces were the scene-setting Legend No. 10 and Místo klekání, a charming choral piece that was atypically sung by the orchestra). The balance of the bill featured two well-known works, Dvořák’s Violin Concerto and the composer’s Eighth Symphony. In the former, soloist Renaud Capuçon played with flair and piercing precision; throughout, his instrument’s tone was astonishing in its surety. The genial Eighth was rendered by Mr. Fischer with personality and a strong point of view, and the players responded plushly with precision and energy. I was particularly taken by the unexpected stylishness of the Scherzo movement and the bright, buoyant exuberance of the Finale, which was thrillingly just on this side of recklessness.

The following evening, Mr. Fischer and his orchestra proceeded with an all-Mahler program comprised of Kindertotenlieder – a wistful yet emotionally wrenching song cycle – and Mahler’s mighty Fifth Symphony. In Kindertotenlieder, Mahler looked to Friedrich Rückert’s poems (which Rückert wrote shortly after the death of two of his children), resulting in a pained but gracefully reflective set of songs, which were sensitively sung by German contralto Gerhild Romberger, who movingly conveyed world-weariness and aching loss. Her rich, rounded sound was a perfect match for the gentle melancholy of the material, and the orchestra’s accompaniment was subdued yet richly nuanced. After the intermission, the orchestra launched into a majestic, completely triumphant reading of Mahler’s trailblazing Fifth. Here, Mr. Fischer led an account that was consistently articulate and focused, an extraordinary feat for such a massive and intricately structured symphony. Yet every moment seethed with spontaneity and a pervading, heightened sense of being present and alive. The orchestra sounded ravishing throughout, once again responding with energy and clarity to Mr. Fischer, who paced and interpreted the behemoth with the sensitivity of a true poet. In sum, an unforgettable, masterful performance.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

BUDAPEST FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA
Classical Music
David Geffen Hall
Each program was approximately 2 hours in length (including an intermission)
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