MTT conducts Stravinsky, Bernstein, & Ravel

* Notes *
Michael Tilson Thomas conducted San Francisco Symphony in a program of Stravinsky, Bernstein, and Ravel last week. The performance was supposed to include Stravinsky's Threni, but EXAUDI, the vocal ensemble to be featured, was held up by issues with a group P-1 visa. Instead we heard Stravinsky's Ode and Bernstein's Chichester Psalms. In the former, the brass sounded typically fuzzy from the beginning, but the strings and woodwinds were clear. The second movement was played viviciously. The Bernstein was performed with well, the playing was focused, as was the singing. The boy soprano, Zachary Weisberg, was self-possessed, and sang beautifully, in the frightening manner that only boy sopranos can sing. The music did have moments that were reminiscent of West Side Story, which was very amusing, though vaguely incongruous with the texts used. The second half of the performance consisted of Ravel's Daphnis et Chloé, a choreographic symphony in three parts. Again, the playing and singing had a fine unity and loveliness. The brass sounded warm. The circus-like violin solo at one point in the music was particularly fine.

* Tattling *
There was some talking from a couple on the orchestra level in Row T Seats 5 and 7 during the Bernstein. They did not reappear after the intermission, but someone in U picked up their slack and spoke during the a little bit during the Ravel.