The Tomashevsky blood throbbed powerfully in Michael Tilson Thomas' veins
tonight as he led the San Francisco Symphony in a wondrous all-Russian
program.  Stravinsky, Rachmaninoff and Shostakovich marched by in Davies
Hall, in a crescendo of excellence.

The performance would have been at home in Moscow or St.  Petersburg,
except that here, it was cleaner and more flawless than it would be in
those other Russian cities, if memory serves.

Stravinsky's "Scherzo a la russe" was charming, a troika bouncing along
on cobblestones, MTT ending it with an acrobatic pirouette that punctuated
the work perfectly.  The conductor then matched wits with Lang Lang, as
to the proper tempi and phrasing in the Rachmaninoff Second Piano Concerto.

MTT played it pure and simple, bringing out the music that lurks under
the "really big numbers." His Rachmaninoff is straightforward, not mushy
or gushing.  Lang Lang, on the other hand, went way over the top, on the
top of this already over-the-top piece, but still he amazed, as he always
does...  for years now, although he is only 20.

There seems to be no middle ground in critical response to Lang Lang,
but there ought to be.  Yes, he is phenomenal in the steel-finger
department, pulverizing the Steinway off-handedly, but more finicky
listeners call him Bang Bang, and hold their noses in the air about what
they perceive as his lack of refined musicality.

The opening bars of the concerto alone were worth the price of admission:
a crescendo of bell-like tones, speaking volumes.  Then, besides the
astonishing runs and dazzling athletics, Lang Lang also played thoughtfully,
sensitively at times, especially when "accompanying" instrumental solos.
He doesn't hide in the piano - his attention is out there, on the other
musicians, on the music.  By middle age, Lang Lang may well become a
conductor - although claiming that spot tonight was a mistake.  And yet,
as the pianist ripped through the Allegro, convulsing with the final
notes, it was difficult not to join the standing ovation.  He is definitely
as Star.

It was only after the intermission, during the second movement of a
brilliantly-performed Shostakovich Symphony No.  15 that the Lang Lang
problem became clear.  As concertmaster Alexander Barantschik and principal
cellist Michael Grebanier played lengthy solos, the power and the glory
of their performance contrasted with Lang Lang's power, which at this
point is still without that other element.  Grebanier, especially,
projected a mighty sound, but it was all-pervasive music, not loud.

The strings - and Shostakovich wanted plenty: 16/14/12/12/10 - were
breathing together during the long work, woodwinds, timpani and, especially,
the brass were relentlessly at their peak.  Over it all, MTT led the
work with assurance, simplicity and moving humility in service of the
music.  There was no Show Biz here at all, only great music, superbly
performed.

It was interesting to see the attention and respect on the face of one
audience member during the last movement of the Shostakovich, which is
a veritable digest of Wagner quotes.  Donald Runnicles, visiting from
the War Memorial across the street, is not only a famed Wagnerite.  He
is also the conductor of symphonic passages from Shostakovich's "Lady
Macbeth of Mtsenk" on the "Symphony at the Opera" CD the San Francisco
Opera released today in advance of general distribution in May.  Wagner
or Shostakovich, this little old Russian-American town at the edge of
the continent has two great interpreters of their music.

Janos Gereben/SF
www.sfcv.org
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