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.