Symphonies by Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven: The Evolution of the Genre

Cathedral Series: Orchestra London

by Brian Hay

The reading given to the Forty-Ninth Symphony ('La Passione') was the most restrained of the three presented by Orchestra London. It suited the nature of the work. The stately movement that opened the piece is grave but the orchestra captured its solemnity without losing touch with its melodic character. The tempo Conductor Timothy Vernon used for the second movement was sharp and brisk. ßIt offset the grave nature of the first movement brilliantly. The graceful reading they gave to the third movement was a thing of beauty. And their rendition of the finale was so inspired it seemed to want to jump from the stage. Of the three composers whose work was on the program Haydn is most often the one who ends up being undervalued. Even the spell-checker on this machine didn't know his name (if that can be believed). That really needs to change. The stellar quality of this work and the rendition Orchestra London gave it, helps illustrate that fact.

The 'Linz' Symphony by Mozart is an astonishing piece of work. It still boggles the mind to think that the man wrote this work in four days. But, this was Mozart. He could do that. Orchestra London captured the qualities inherent in this piece beautifully. The brisk tempo Vernon gave it reflected the feeling of urgency the work has. The orchestra responded to the changes in tempo and musical subject matter as if they were leaping onto them. They also caught the sense of playfulness that permeates the symphony. The musicians played through the exquisite wind segments as if they were dancing. Their work throughout the lovely middle section of the Minuet (third movement) was sublime. Their work on the beautiful melodic content of the second movement was delicious, as was their playing of the segments that precede the crescendos in the fourth movement. The crescendos themselves were impassioned and filled with fire. It was a joy to listen to.

The emotional spectrum Beethoven's Eight Symphony travels is a broad one and Orchestra London's interpretation captured that aspect of it extremely well. The musical phrases that were grave were played with severity but without sentiment. The string section made soaring thunder of the crescendos. This was especially noticeable during their renditions of the first and fourth movements. The Brass players added their flourishes with just the right touch. The playing from the wind section was light and airy. Their work helped make the musical shifts between light and heavy seem effortless. Often it was only after a shift was completed that the transitions felt obvious. It was enjoyable to be carried along that way. Beethoven himself liked this work and said so. The reason seems obvious. There's a lot of riches to be found beneath the surface. Hearing and seeing this performance brought out a whole new sense of awareness of that.

Timothy Vernon talked about the need to support the orchestra and he hit the all the nails on their heads. A good orchestra, and this is a good one, is a resource. This was an inspired performance. It was also a lesson in musical history for anyone interested in the evolution of the Symphony. It's also the best way to experience the medium. Live performances offer surprises. The work of the wind sections on the Mozart and Beethoven pieces was a revelation. Wind instruments are usually mixed down on recordings. Here, with nothing other than the fabulous acoustics of St. Paul's Cathedral behind them, they were far more pronounced. It changed the balance between the instruments and gave the works dimensions I've never heard on recordings. Those are just a few examples of the benefits of seeing the music performed live.

This was a wonderful show.

This performance took place at St. Paul's Cathedral in London, Ontario on Wednesday October 21, 2009.

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