Oberon's Grove: Hilary Hahn's Triumph ~ NY Phil @ Carnegie Hall

Above: violinist Hilary Hahn

Author: Oberon

Friday June 10th, 2022 - Violinist Hilary Hahn brought down the house with her fantastic playing of the Barber Violin Concerto with the The New York Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall. The program also offered a world premiere by Sarah Kirkland Snider, and the Mahler 1st Symphony, with Jaap van Zweden on the podium.

Ms. Snider's Forward Into Light received a radiant performance from the players of the NY Philharmonic. The composer, as part of the orchestra's Project 19 which celebrates the 19th Amendment, took this slogan from the suffrage movement as a source of inspiration:

"Forward Out of Darkness
Leave Behind the Night
Forward Out of Error
Forward Into Light."

Ms. Snider's work opens with a twinkling passage for the harp; this signature motif is heard periodically throughout the piece's 14-minute duration. The strings join, and then the winds. An oboe solo played by Sherry Sylar emerges from dense harmonies. Suddenly the music stops, only to resume with the harp signature.

A great restlessness evolves; a swaying dance with cymbals subsides at the tolling of chimes. The music gets grand. Plucked strings are heard, and growling brass. Then, out of nowhere, comes the sound of voices singing the anthem "March of the Women".

Above: concertmaster Frank Huang, Maestro van Zweden, composer Sarah Kirkland Snider, violist rebecca Young; photo by Chris Lee

A sense of rapture has pervaded Forward Into Light, and the audience's response was most enthusiastic. The comely composer (above) emerged from the audience to take an onstage bow, which was greeted with cheers. Maestro van Zweden also asked harpist Nancy Allen to rise for a bow, though we couldn't see her from our vantage point; the clarity of her playing seemed to me a major element in the work's success.

Samuel Barber's Violin Concerto is my favorite among all violin concertos. It was the first violin concerto disc I ever bought - played by Anne Akiko Meyers - back in the days when I listened almost exclusively to opera. Over time, the Bruch 1st and the Mendelssohn have come within winking distance of taking the top place, but it's the Barber that endures. And after this evening's performance, my regard for it is even higher.

Tonight, Hilary Hahn walked out onto the Carnegie Hall stage to a prolonged and very warm reception from the crowd. Wearing a unique outfit - a long Serenade tutu with panels of blue, yellow, and red, with a black halter top - she gestured for silence, and then commenced her thrilling performance of the Barber.

This music speaks directly to my heart and soul, and it has never spoken as movingly as tonight in Ms. Hahn's interpretation. Her tone silken, her technique impressive and expressive, her dynamic control fascinating, and her presence so appealing. In those moments when the solo violin falls silent, Ms. Hahn maintained contact with her fellow musicians, looking about the stage to savor Barber's haunting orchestral writing. Following the sustained ending of the opening movement, Maestro van Zweden silenced intrusive applause with a flick of his wrist.

Of course, the extended oboe solo that opens the Andante has often been commented upon; tonight is was spectacularly played by Liang Wang, his sound so clear and mellow, his phrasing so thoughtful.

Ms. Hahn finally rejoins, playing with a haunting sense of the poetic. Just at the most ravishing moment, our neighbor drooped his cellphone to the floor with a loud clunk. The violinist managed to ignore this interruption, and played on with heavenly tone and great passion.

The wit and irony of the concluding Presto was perfectly captured by the violinist; she dazzled us in the intense, fiery passages of the music as the concerto speeds to its finish. As the last note sounded, the audience filled the hall with joyful applause; everyone stood up, and nothing matches the sight of a Carnegie Hall standing ovation.

Ms. Hahn held the audience under her spell for a magical Bach encore (Chris Lee photo above), capping her triumphant evening. And even after that, she was called out again...twice.

Over the course of the last eight days, my friend DK and I have heard three of the world's top violinists live at Carnegie Hall: Anne-Sophie Mutter, Maxim Vengerov, and Hilary Hahn.

Dealing with allergies these past few days, I started coughing after shouting a couple of "bravas" for Ms. Hahn, and found myself unable to control the ticklish throat. Not wanting to cough during the Mahler First, we decided to head out, talking happily about the delight of having heard Ms. Hahn on this memorable evening.

More of Chris Lee's images from the concert: