A refreshing pair of young artists led the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra in a bracing concert yesterday afternoon. Guest conductor Michael Stern and cellist Borislav Strulev sparkled in a delightful program of Haydn, Rachmaninoff and Stravinsky.
Intriguingly, each composer was represented by a work from an earlier artistic period. The trio of compositions showed how fascinating such historical hybrids truly are.
The hands-down highlight was Strulev's stellar performance of Franz Joseph Haydn's "Cello Concerto No. 1 in C-Major" (1765). In addition to his technical virtuosity, the 20-year-old Russian demonstrated aesthetic maturity remarkable in such a young musician.
The cellist has an unusual story of how he was discovered. An American writer heard Strulev play in his native Moscow, and brought back a grainy home video to famed conductor and violinist Isaac Stern, who popped the cassette into his VCR during a lull in a football game. Voila! In 1994 Borislav moved to New York City, where he studies at the Manhattan School of Music.
Strulev's interpretation added polish to Haydn's gem. He merges body, soul and instrument to evoke the piece's full emotional force.
From his earthy French cello, Strulev drew out an exceptionally rich, honey-roasted tone. He achieved this with a well-tempered vibrato and magnificent bowing technique.
Despite a few, transient off-key notes in the first movement, Strulev brought out its jaunty, dance-like character.
Conductor Stern, the orchestra and Strulev worked seamlessly together, using an ensemble approach appropriate to the piece.
Stern's economical, collaborative conducting style suited all three pieces on the program. The music director of Germany's Saarbrucken Radio Orchestra displayed refreshing modesty and a charming sense of fun. He delighted particularly in Sergei Rachmaninoff's "Symphonic Dances" (1940).
Stern excelled at bringing out the swelling melodic arcs, especially in the waltzing second movement. In the final movement, he deftly juggled musical quotations from across the centuries: from medieval chant and Italian folk dance to turbulent wind and harp effects befitting a movie score.
Igor Stravinsky's Concerto in E-flat for Chamber Orchestra, "Dumbarton Oaks" (1938) provided an airy opening to the concert. The concerto featured elements familiar from Bach's Brandenburg Concertos. Motifs tossed playfully between winds and strings as constant motion propelled the music forward. Meditative dissonances and jazzy rhythms gave modern color to the baroque framework. With a fine touch for detail, Stern managed this historical split personality by shaping the piece delicately.
Elisabeth A. Crean has bachelor's and master's degrees in European history with an emphasis in music, and has performed and taught music.