Sublime violin concerto and a cataclysmic symphony herald the return of an old friend
Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Opera house. 4th of July
Gil Shaham played Beethoven’s Violin Concerto with an extraordinarily sweet voice and masterful control over every tone the violin can express, from sparkling whispers to resonant grandeur.
With a violinist of his caliber, perhaps this much can be underestimated. What elevated this performance with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra under David Robertson (former SSO Principal Conductor and Artist Director and now most welcome guest) was the maturity and shared vision of conductor, soloist and orchestra to integrate expression into the grand architecture of the work.
Robertson began the orchestral exposition with a calm, quiet and masterful expanse in which the tempo was extremely consistent, while his expressive power emerged through carefully shaded balance and nuance. Shaham’s entrance featured no twisted wrestling; every detail emerged with slow clarity.
