LAPO

The phenomenon of Vladimir Ashkenazy brightens our musical landscape. Pianist
and conductor, his mastery of both arts is truly remarkable. If anything, his
prowess in the one area seems to nourish the other.
He has been with us these two weeks in the latter capacity. On Wednesday he led
the Los Angeles Philharmonic through a dazzling and rewarding all-Prokofiev
program. You might think that an entire evening by this one composer might come
off stylistically limited, and with lesser talents on the podium you might be
right. But Ashkenazy, who as a pianist has delivered (and recorded) some
overpowering Prokofiev performances, demonstrated on this occasion his ability
to shine a variety of fascinating lights through the orchestral works as well.
The crown of this week’s program (repeated, by the way, tonight and Saturday)
is the Fifth Symphony, most extensive of Prokofiev’s seven and one of the
latest works by any composer to take its place in the standard repertory. The
work does explore a neo-romantic vein that, in some hands, might sound a little
old-fashioned for a work dating from as recently as 1944. But there is an
abrasive, thoroughly original side to this music as well, and this quality —
the way long melodic lines, for example, take interesting and unexpected turns
into dark areas — stood out especially well in Ashkenazy’s performance.
It was an exceptionally attractive program, and a difficult one as well. There
were passing problems in orchestral execution on Wednesday night, a few blurred
wind and brass attacks, that would probably be smoothed out in subsequent
performances. But at its best the Philharmonic honored its gifted guest
conductor with playing robust and alert.
The evening began with a relative novelty, an orchestral suite from the opera
“War and Peace,” put together in 1987 by Christopher Palmer: dazzling dance
pieces, a ravishing quiet Intermezzo and a final striding theme (the great
chorus that ends the opera) that grabs you by the throat. If you need urging to
take in the San Francisco Opera’s staging of this grand if imperfect work next
September, let it be in this selection of snippets, 20 minutes of sublime music
out of four hours.
Alexander Treger, the orchestra’s co-concertmaster, was soloist in the D-major
Violin Concerto, exquisite music, delicate and quiet, played with high regard
for these qualities. Between this work of 1915, and the “War and Peace”
excerpts from 1953, the variety of Prokofiev’s stylistic outlook was broad
indeed. It was neatly sketched in this commendable concert.THE FACTSWhat: The Los Angeles Philharmonic in an all-Prokofiev program.When: 8 p.m., tonight and Saturday.Where: Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave in downtown Los Angeles.Behind the scenes: Vladimir Ashkenazy, conductor; Alexander Treger, violin.Tickets: $9-$40; phone: 213 480-3232.Our rating: * * * *

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