San Francisco Classical Voice

The performance overall was dedicated to episodes, to images, to extremes of power and release. For once, the acoustics in Davies served their barreling purpose. The sometime violence and hammer-strokes of this concert could only have been contained in such a hall. Evidently addressing the permanent residents of Colma, conductor Michael Tilson Thomas may well have raised a few of them too.

The orchestra set-up, perhaps for recording purposes, was changed. First and second violins were seated European-style, in stereo. Cellos sat where the seconds ordinarily do, and basses behind them. This new arrangement gave a presence and definition to the combined low strings that was exceptionally effective. (The orchestra ran nine basses, all with C extensions.) Especially in staccato sixteenths and the like, there was a rhythmic precision rarely heard at Davies. Their combined balances were deft and always in context. Only the harps, now working directly in front of a wall, occasionally misjudged and overstated their lines. This was a particular problem in the second movement.

In fact, that second movement posed the only real difficulties of the night. The triplet transition at the place marked in the score “Nicht eilen” (“Don't rush”) took some moments to cohere, and led to intonational democracy. Happily, the new seating also led to impressive clarity in the pizzicato section which followed. The tempo of the third movement was convincingly judged, and ably set up the klezmer sub-text, especially in the solo clarinet.

The final movement held back nothing. Careful choreography placed off-stage brass players in both wings, and in the house-right terrace. The low brass chorale, like the chorus, sang with a stunning purity. Canadian soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian, making her company debut, matched that purity in "O glaube". In the duet "O Schmerz, O Tod" both soloists rang like rising angels.

Across the whole evening, the orchestra itself moved toward the many moods of this composer. Its sounds were in turn Viennese and brash, reverent and raucous. It is a proof of continuing growth that so many facets could be displayed with equal conviction. Only rarely could a few players be seen to invest their work with less than total energy. (Strings playing tremolando are the giveaway.) As ever, such natural leaders as principals Geraldine Walther (viola) and Bill Bennett (oboe) continue to provide complete emotional immersion in the music. Their sections are always the stronger for it.

A final word to SFCV readers: even if Mahler is not reason enough to attend one of the remaining performances, Wednesday through Saturday in Davies Hall at 8:00 p.m.Lorraine Hunt Lieberson is. Do not miss her. She may be at the very top of her powers. Like Maureen Forrester in the same repertoire with Bruno Walter a generation ago, hers is a voice that sets the standard, and moves above.