Won't make a blow-by-blow assessment here, but Michael Christie put forth a performance of this oft-performed work that I will remember for some time........
Christie in general took a brisk pace, throughout, but captured the melodic lines and drama that IMO a lot of far-more-famous conductors have missed...... He had the Phx Symphony put forth some tight, snappy ensemble as well...... (Something I cannot say about, for example, Gustavo Dudamel's LAPO performance on YouTube.) He overall put forth a superlative read on this work (he captured the buildup in the Third Movement- an accomplishment for even the best conductors), the only thing he totally messed up was the Maestoso at the ending, which he raced though a la Erich Leinsdorf...... (Maybe the fastest Maestoso I've ever heard, matching it with a faster-than-most Prestissimo.) But he was so superb for the remainder of the work, I'd almost give him a pass on that.
The Phoenix Symphony chorus was also top notch, as were the four singers, Karen Wolverton, Gigi Velasco, Sean Panikkar, and Stephen Powell, whose intonation and balance don't take a back seat to anyone.
The audience gave a thunderous standing ovation after the performance ended.
In the intimacy of the Scottsdale Center of the Performing Arts, a balcony-less hall holding roughly 700 people, sold out for this concert (probably due to the B-9 itself), I also have a far better idea on the level of playing by the Phoenix Symphony- It's in essence a part-time major-caliber orchestra. The string intonation is decent, the overall intonation is decent, the articulation in the brass and winds could be better, but still decent. I was impressed with timpanist Bruce Pulk and flutist Viviana Cumplido. (The timpanist is very critical with the B-9. Pulk was superb.)
In case you're in the Phoenix area, you still have a chance to see the Beethoven Ninth at Downtown Symphony Hall tomorrow. Maybe not the venue in Scottsdale, but Michael Christie does really well with this work, and I can recommend it.
Edits: 09/16/11
This post is made possible by the generous
support of people like you and our sponsors:
