Pianist flows as orchestra starts to gel

For the third concert in their debut half-season, the Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra programmed two works from opposite ends of the 19th century, both comfortably within the standard classical repertoire: Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 of 1807 and Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 "From the New World" of 1893.

Originally planned to feature conductor-pianist Jeffrey Kahane, the concert now features conductor Jorge Mester, longtime music director of the Aspen Music Festival, and world-renowned pianist William Wolfram.

Without a lighter opening work, the shorter program made for a somewhat abrupt start — the first person to walk on stage after the orchestra tuned was guest soloist Wolfram — and lasted less than two hours, easily within the musicians’ contracted 2 1/2 hours, even including intermission and all the ovations.

When Beethoven composed his Concerto No. 4, Haydn was still alive, and Western classical music was in that exciting transition between classicism (reason, balance and clarity) and romanticism (emotion, extremes and ambiguity). The piece presents hallmarks of both styles and is remarkable for its subtle rhythmic innovations and a dovetailing of parts that blurred the expected roles of orchestra and piano.

Pianist Wolfram swept through the Beethoven like a breath of fresh air, delivering a thoughtfully nuanced, classically clear and balanced reading. His playing was strong but surprisingly gentle and sensitive for such a large man, and his scalar runs were liquid-smooth.

Conductor Mester graciously kept the focus on Wolfram and likewise adopted a classical approach. Together the two made the most of those wonderful moments that musicologist Donald Tovey called "purple patches" — high, light passages in remote keys that sound fantastical and otherworldly.

In the Dvorak, which was composed at the height of the romantic era, Mester continued to highlight classical elements, which gave the piece a lovely transparency.

Dvorak’s New World Symphony has been a perennial favorite in America since its premiere, and it’s easy to hear why. It’s warmly romantic with sweeping climaxes, lyrical melodies and a shimmering joy that never seems to grow old.

While Beethoven features the orchestra, Dvorak features the musicians of the orchestra, using an open texture and providing numerous soloists and tutti (ensemble) sections: Note the mosaic of woodwinds at the beginning of the third movement, the sound wall of brass climaxes, the soaring cello melodies.

The orchestra is beginning to solidify as an ensemble, the strings providing the most homogenous sound. There were still occasional rough spots in both works, and Mester had to work to hold the orchestra in balance throughout and together in climaxes, but there were also many excellent solos and tutti sections.

Of particular note were the brass and especially the trombones, flutists Claire Butin and Julia Richter, Cathy Weinfield on the famous English horn solo, and Michael Zell on timpani.

As the last note of the Dvorak faded, the audience leapt up to give the Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra a standing ovation.

A repeat performance of the program with guests Mester and Wolfram will begin at 7 p.m. today at the concert hall.