‘Ravel’s Boléro’ (+ more) @ The Dallas Symphony
—Wayne Lee Gay
The Dallas Symphony Orchestra and guest conductor Juanjo Mena present a concert two-thirds devoted to the early twentieth-century hit parade this weekend; the result is at the very least pleasant—and occasionally meaningful on a deeper level.
Breaking the standard order of placing a concerto as the second item on the agenda, Mena, the DSO, and French pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet open with Gershwin's deservedly beloved Piano Concerto in F of 1925.
Jazzy, sometimes bluesy, and always opulently orchestrated, this concerto displays not only Gershwin's genius for good tunes and irresistible energy, but also, in this case, the extraordinary virtuosity of pianist Thibaudet. A decades-long star of the piano world, Thibaudet shows off miraculous digital acrobatics as well as an intense, deeply expressive connection with the music—one that is backed up by a grand reading from Mena and the orchestra. Although an occasional tug-of-war of tempos between conductor and soloist slightly impedes the work's momentum, the overall effect is, as it should be, thrilling. For the encore at Thursday’s performance, Thibaudet responded with an intriguingly dry, unmistakably French rendition of another classical modernist hit, Ravel's "Pavane pour une enfante défunte."
Moving out of the realm of crowd-pleasers but staying in the domain of the early twentieth century, Mena and the orchestra return after intermission with Bartók's Suite from The Wooden Prince of 1917, a relative rarity from early in Bartók's career. The shadow of the tone poems of Richard Strauss looms large here; Bartók calls for a large, late romantic orchestra and rolls out an uninterrupted series of colorful effects in an intriguing work never before performed in Dallas.
Mena and the DSO close with one of the all-time crowd pleasers, Ravel's Boléro of 1928. (Whether by plan or not, the work ties in neatly with Thibaudet's Ravel encore, both inspired by Spanish dances and both drawing on the Spanish influence the composer inherited from his mother.) Brash and repetitive, the Bolero shows off Ravel's amazing command and inventiveness for orchestral colors, handled nicely by the orchestra and conductor Mena; the Spanish-born conductor amusingly indulges in a little boléro footwork towards the end. Though there's not a lot of thoughtful musical content to Ravel’s piece, the orgasmic climax of Boléro always brings cheers and a visceral effect comparable to a touchdown at a football game.
WHEN: November 14-17, 2024 (repeats Saturday & Sunday)
WHERE: Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, Dallas
WEB: dallassymphony.org
