Thursday, October 27, 2016

Sergio A. Mims: Great review of recent concert by Jena Philharmonic conducted by Brandon Keith Brown

Brandon Keith Brown
(Photo: BKB)

Sergio A. Mims writes:

Swing and blade

Dietmar Ebert about the concert (B2) of the Jena Philharmonic Thursday, October 20, 2016

Great Alphorn concert of Daniel 

Schnyder with Arkadi Shilkloper 

and Bruckner's Symphony No. 6

... a sort of calling card of American 
conductor Brandon Keith Brown

The highly talented young American Brandon Keith Brown 
has conducted three works that could not be more 
different. The overture to Rossini's opera "William Tell" 
rang in rare listening sophistication. An extra 
praise deserve Henriette Lätsch and Alexander Wegelin 
(cello solos), Andrea Abé (English horn) and Manfred 
Baumgärtner (bassoon).
The Russian hornist Arkady Shilkloper played the solo part 
in Daniel Schnyder's "Concerto for Alphorn and Orchestra", 
which he had lifted the 2004 Menuhin Festival in Gstaad 
from the baptism. He conjured tones and sounds on the 
alphorn, which had never have expected this 
instrument. They originated in part by circular breathing, 
that the exhaled air is inhaled briefly again, by 
multiphonics, by buzzing and especially by a technologically 
savvy lip movement. 
Daniel Schnyder is the Jena public as a composer and 
saxophonist as one of the most creative composers of 
between classical music and jazz commutes, well 
known. His Concerto for Alphorn and Orchestra revives 
the tradition of the classical concert on especially 
in its three movements. At the same time it is characterized 
by jazz and swing. It calls for the soloist to art and design 
from all that can afford the Alphorn today. At the beginning 
and after a most brilliant cadenza Arkady Shilkloper almost 
breath-were to hear cowbells in different sizes 
and Tonstimmungen. Almost like the cattle drive. In the 
middle set the mood of a solo instrument and orchestra 
is toned lyrical. A peaceful, pastoral mood spreading. In the 
final set, it immediately begins to swing. From the 
exchange between jokes and actions, between 
Alphorn and Orchestra, the concert closes without 
pathos. "An American in Switzerland?" "A Swiss in America?" 
Maybe idyll in the mountains and busy life in 
the big cities. Thunderous applause and bravos for Arkady 
Shilkloper who thanked with a virtuosic improvisation and 
interested in the break listeners willingly his instrument 
and its technique explained. 
In Schnyder's Alphorn concert Brandon Keith Brown was 
the orchestra swing and gorgeous sound.
Anton Bruckner's Symphony No. 6 was completed in 1881 
and no longer updated.
 
***
For me that was the best performance of a Bruckner symphony since the time when Andrey Boreyko served as chief conductor of the orchestra. It was quite amazing how flexible and secure all musicians of the Philharmonic Orchestra could adjust to three completely different styles of music associated compositions and how they were always superior out of Brandon Keith Brown.


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