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SYMPHONY REVIEW
March 12, 2003
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By Nikki Buechler
Nineteen-year old violinist Julia Fischer appeared bedazzled while managing to dazzle in her debut at the San Francisco Symphony on Wednesday with the technically daunting Sibelius Violin Concerto. Often appearing bemused in the tutti sections and looking around at a packed concert hall, as if surprised to be standing in front of an orchestra, her stage presence was demure, almost to the point of appearing slightly introverted. When she was actually playing she had presence, her sound never overwhelmed by the other players, though once or twice she was playing with such intensity that her sound broke from too much force. Fischer's left-hand technique is flawless; she seemed comfortable with exposed and fiendishly difficult passages, so it was incongruous that her only problem seemed to be finding the right bow speed to match the pressure applied to the occasional long note.
She was the highlight of the evening. By the third movement of the concerto, Fischer had found a level of comfort that allowed her to pull off some stunning technical feats. She gives the impression of being an effortless, efficient player, avoiding unnecessary theatrics. This might be a detriment to her solo career, however, as tormented facial expressions and bodily expressions are sadly appealing and fashionable to many concertgoers and promoters, even though her expressiveness could be clearly heard. And that of course is, or should be, what matters.
First on the program was Lukas Foss's appropriately named Phorion, called so after the Greek word meaning “stolen goods.” It essentially consisted of the Prelude to Bach's third Partita in E major, but with a surreal twist. It was masterfully reworked to sound as if one were hearing the original while on serious hallucinogenic drugs. Though slightly long, the experience was sufficiently interesting to be recommended for anyone who might want to experience the equivalent of auditory hallucination without ingesting psychosomatic drugs. The piece begins exactly as written by Bach, played by concertmaster Alexander Barantschik. At moments when the first violin section was playing with him, even though they were in unison, the tempo was such that they were not completely together. The result was almost like the blur that a delay or reverberation pedal would achieve if applied to an electric guitar.
Copland's Third Symphony followed the intermission, Michael Tilson Thomas demonstrating his expertise. His sense of timing is superb, and he seems to give a lot of responsibility to the players, as indicated by his non-interference in many passages, the mark of a secure leader not afraid to delegate. When appropriate, he would adjust the resolution of important phrases, such that the end of the second movement of the Copland was wholly satisfying. He held the last note until anticipation of resolution became almost unbearable. The effect worked beautifully. The brass section deserved kudos for their handling of the last movement, the famous “Fanfare for the Common Man.” Thomas was practically dancing on the podium on several occasions, and the players seemed to be enjoying themselves, especially after a long period of waiting.
(Nikki Buechler is a PhD student at the music department at Stanford University. She has a Master's degree from St Catherine's College, Oxford, and spent 5 years working as a viola player in chamber groups, orchestras and as an occasional soloist in London, England.)
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Julia Fischer