On Sunday afternoon, the German conductor Joana Mallwitz and the LA Phil delivered an electrifying performance of three works: GHB/tanzaggregat by Marko Nikodijevic; the Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35 by Tchaikovsky with Augustin Hadelich as soloist; and the Symphony No. 9 in C major, D. 944, “The Great,” by Schubert.
Mallwitz began the concert with the rhythmically contagious GHB/tanzaggregat by the Serbian composer Nikodijevic. Although Nikodijevic describes the six-minute composition as a work that aims to evoke states produced by the mind-altering drug GHB popular in the techno culture without actually producing techno music, one needn’t know any of this to be carried away by the intoxicating rhythms and underlying melodies in this piece. Mallwitz certainly announced her presence in Los Angeles and at Disney Hall with this work. It opens innocuously enough with some percussion and low notes in the bass trombone (kudos to James Lofton), but then escalates rapidly into a perpetual motion work for large orchestra. Reminiscent of some of the more rhythmically exciting sections of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring, GHB/tanzaggregat is one of the few contemporary compositions that has excited the LA Phil audience.
The first half concluded with the Violin Concerto in D major by Tchaikovsky with the Italian-German violinist Augustin Hadelich. Many people know the story of Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto and how the original dedicatee, Hungarian violinist Leopold Auer, declared the work too long and unplayable. Some of the initial reviews were not too kind either. Obviously, Tchaikovsky and the passage of time have proven otherwise, and the concerto is now one of the staples of the literature. It does require a high level of technical skill, however. Hadelich not only delivered on the technical demands, but the musical ones as well. He gave an exciting performance, juxtaposing slightly faster and slightly slower tempos and technical mastery. His tone was impeccable, and his performance was flawless.
Mallwitz, along with Tchaikovsky’s help, provided the perfect accompaniment. Not only did she hold the orchestra back at times to allow Hadelich to shine, but Tchaikovsky’s scoring also accomplished this by having the strings play pizzicato during sections when the violin needs to be heard.
The audience responded to Hadelich’s astounding performance with loud cheers and an immediate standing ovation, and they brought him out for an encore, Por Una Cabeza (Arr. Augustin Hadelich) by Carlos Gardel.
The final work on the program was the great C major Symphony by Franz Schubert, one of the pinnacles of symphonic writing. Mallwitz crafted a beautiful rendition that continued the excitement of the previous two pieces on the program. She took the repeat in the first movement, which she moved along at a pretty brisk pace. It was difficult to take one’s eyes off her because her conducting technique was so visually appealing. For example, when she wanted the orchestra to quiet down, she bent her knees so that she was closer to the ground, not an easy thing to do for a tall person. Her long arms waved and, at times, appeared to grab the sound from the orchestra and to mold phrases like a sculptor.
The audience reacted to her and the Phil’s performance with screams and shouts.
I don’t know if the LA Phil has decided on a successor to Gustavo Dudamel. If not, then I would suggest Mallwitz be in the running if her direction of the Phil on Sunday is any indication of her talent and appeal.
—Henry Schlinger, Culture Spot LA
For information about upcoming concerts, visit www.laphil.com.