Rafael Payare conducted the Choirs and the Orchester symphonique de Montréal on Wednesday in the Cantata Criolla by Venezuelan Antonio Estévez, a vocal contest between a peasant and the devil. The concert also featured a world premiere by Ana Sokolovic and Don Quixote by Strauss with Alisa Weilerstein.
The concert menu is the first “fact” of the evening. This is not the first time that Rafael Payare has erred in ambition. The Classical Spree was an overflow of new music, particularly South American, to be ingested in too short a time for the orchestra. Everyone also remembers the stacking of contemporary works – 2e piano concerto by Bartok — 5e Symphony by Mahler, the latter two being incompatible, since the concerto puts too much strain on the brass, which must remain fresh for the symphony.
Overfull
This week’s program is in the same vein, and among the corrections that the musical director will have to make, the “too full” aspect will have to receive his full attention. What is exhausting for the orchestra is also exhausting for the audience and we do not throw an hour of totally new music (Sokolovic-Estévez) in 2e part with in 1D half 40 minutes of fat Richard Strauss. It’s very nice all that, but you have to calm down a little bit. It is simply a question of the receptivity of the spectators and the ability to fully receive the musical message.
Fortunately, many things had been done to facilitate absorption. Excellent initiative, for example, to reconnect with the distribution of programs on paper. The spectators are so much more accustomed that they did not dare to take them! Another good idea: project the subtitles of the sections of Don Quixote throughout the course of the work. Finally, the filming of a film in the plains of Venezuela to support the narration of the Cantata Criolla was a good idea well executed.
We don’t know if it is normal for the 3e shutter (the confrontation of the two characters) has been deprived of this visual support. Estévez’s cantata was the highlight of the show. For us who discovered this work in 1992 when Eduardo Mata’s album was released, it was an immense emotion to hear it in concert under these conditions. Here we can clearly see the “European-centric” ostracism of history and musical judgement, because the score is hardly less spectacular and effective than Carmina Burana. The work mixes earthly good sense and the faith of the coalman with a touching candor.
Covers
To describe the version heard in Montreal, we will adapt the famous saying “The ways of the Lord are impenetrable”, the devil incarnated by Gustavo Castillo, who is supposed to be crushed by the valiant Florentino (Aquiles Machado), being so dominating that the we did not understand how he could lose the game. Aquiles Machado did what he could. He passed his vocal acme and threw his forces into battle. Knowing that he represented the “right side”, he won. Nothing dishonorable, but a little imbalance in his favor.
The orchestra has mastered a music that is exotic for him and the choir sang with great ardor a score that we will be happy to hear again during the next season or in Lanaudière. We hope that after the Glagolitic MassPayare will continue its explorations with Amarus of Janacek, the Mass for a battlefield from Martinu or Ariadne by Martinu (composed for Maria Callas).
The chef may also resume Melita by Sokolovic, an orchestrally very controlled work, inspired by an island in Croatia. It is articulated in 4 sections: Leaves, Crickets, Sea, Bridge. Grillon made the public react positively with the eloquence born of rhythmic mastery. Many elements are created by the play of the wind on the various elements, which allows Sokolovic to play with the sections of the orchestra. All this is very well done and will ask to be heard again in a less busy context (like Games by Debussy- MelitaPause, and Symphony).
As for Don QuixoteRafael Payare recalled his affinities with Richard Strauss, magnificently succeeding in the episode of the sheep and the ride in the air, Alisa Weilerstein signaling herself in particular in the most intimate moments: dialogue with Andrew Wan in the 3e Variation, solo of the 5e and death of Don Quixote.
A whole that is highly recommendable for an outing tonight.