Bruckner's No. 9 shines as reflection of our time
By SALLY VALLONGO
BLADE STAFF WRITER
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a whimper.
- T.S. Eliot from The Hollow Men (1926)
In his quest to present all nine Bruckner symphonies in Rosary Cathedral, principal conductor Stefan Sanderling has ignored Chronos, the god of time, planning the series according to musical judgment instead.
Thus, last night's inspirational Toledo Symphony performance of Bruckner's Symphony No. 9 in D Minor was not the end of the series, although it was the ultimate work by the German composer, who died before finishing the fourth and final movement.
"I don't see a need to do them in order," Sanderling said last week. "Every now and then we will have a lighter Bruckner symphony. We started with No. 7, then No. 3. Then we did No. 8 and No. 9 in a row - I believe the two of them belong so much together."
If the idea of a light Bruckner work seems oxymoronic, well, last night's performance was certainly more delicate, hushed, and Romantic than last year's No. 8.
The concert comprised only the three complete movements, complex and intense enough in themselves to compensate for the lack of a booming fourth and final segment.
An enhanced orchestra - love those Wagner tubas - followed the maestro closely for a nuanced and convincing performance which drove from memory the few rough transitions in the first movement.
The torment Bruckner suffered in body and mind near the end of his life played out throughout the three movements. Sanderling's direction heightened the quiet drama and brought forth the many small but significant inner voices.
Melodies saturated with yearning and foreboding wove through the various sections, their mystery enhanced by intersections with the sort of stunning multi-layered chords Bruckner fans have come to expect.
This final work shimmers with a transparency and lyricism that is pictorial in its power - one can imagine cloud masses moving swiftly overhead or waves breaking one by one on a shoreline.
In so many ways, the composer's ultimate work seemed to speak to the uncertainty and growing trepidation rampant in society today. The timing of its performance couldn't have been more appropriate, although perhaps not for musical reasons.
As Americans struggle with economic downturns, a despoiled environment, a much-despised foreign war, and a presidential campaign that slogs onward, Bruckner's score seems to have been written for our times.
Even the ending Adagio tapers away to silence in the end, a whimpering conclusion that in this shaky period reflects our national mood far more than the conventional big bang finale.
However, ever optimistic, Sanderling already has the 2009 Rosary concert in his sights. "Next year we do No. 5," he says. "It's very intellectual - as much about fugues and counterpoints. Maybe it's the best crafted."
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Contact Sally Vallongo at svallongo@theblade.com.
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