Ludwig von Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat Major (Emperor)
Joseph Haydn: Symphony No.103 in E-flat Major, Hob.I:103 (Drumroll)
Conductor: Maxim Emelyanychev
Piano: Leif Ove Andsnes
After a month of September spent exploring less-trodden but very exciting spots of Emilia-Romagna and a month of October spent enjoying the ever-bustling city of Naples (If you think that New York is the city that never sleeps, you’ve clearly never been to the Parthenopean city) and some of its quieter surroundings areas, I eagerly made it back to Rome for what will hopefully be another laid-back winter.
And while the Eternal City is partly disfigured these days because of its frantic last-minute efforts to freshen up for the 2025 Jubilee on top of its more long-term large-scale efforts to build or upgrade three subway stations, it still offers priceless perks such as a wonderfully mild climate, unforgettable culinary experiences, a one-of-its-kind journey through Western civilization, and high-quality classical music at the futuristic-looking Auditorium Parco della Musica Ennio Morricone.
Earlier in the fall, as I was checking out the Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia’s 2024-2025 season, I noticed that Leif Ove Andsnes would join them for Beethoven’s epic Emperor piano concerto in early November, and I just figured that I had to be there. Not only is it always a true pleasure to hear this certified virtuoso perform — After a couple of decades following him, I should know — but it is also always nice to see a familiar face on a stage.
Of course, little did I know when I got my ticket that by the time the concert date would come around, I would be needing all the help I could get to fight overwhelming feelings of election blues (and rage). But they say that music heals all wounds, so it was with even higher expectations than usual that I walked the few blocks from my place to the Parco della Musica to find my spot in the almost-sold-out Sala Santa Cecilia for the usual civilized starting time of 6:00 PM.
Although I had heard of its lasting popularity as a concert opener, I had never actually heard Jorg Widmann’s Con Brio before last Saturday. Avowedly inspired by Beethoven, and in fact often incorporated in Beethoven-centric programs, the short piece does in fact overflow with energy and inventiveness, even if not every idea sounds fully developed or controlled. On Saturday, young Russian conductor, as well as pianist, harpsichordist and cornetist, Maxim Emelyanychev led the orchestra in a lovely and lively take on it that immediately set a cheerful tone for the rest of the evening.
But most of us were obviously there to hear Leif Ove Andsnes apply his supreme technical skills and artless musicianship to Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5, a prospect that brought me back almost 10 years ago in New York, where I attended a memorable two-concert series titled “Beethoven Journey” consisting of him and the equally adventurous-minded Mahler Chamber Orchestra fearlessly rocking Beethoven’s five piano concertos to delighted crowds in Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium.
Back in Rome, it felt like no time had passed as Andsnes, a famously understated presence who always lets the score speak for itself, delivered another thrilling performance of the ever-green Emperor, Beethoven’s last, longest and grandest piano concerto. It was noble without being pompous, poised without being rigid, and was keenly aware of when to lighten up too. It had just the right amount of invigorating zest in the Allegro, Zen serenity in the Adagio and unadulterated joy in the Rondo. Bravo!
The applause was long and loud, and Andsnes eventually came back with an enchanting little treat by Frédéric Chopin that was another big hit with audience and musicians. It was seriously so good to see him and especially to hear him again.
After the intermission, the eleventh of the twelve London symphonies by Joseph Haydn got going with the celebrated extended drumroll that earned it its nickname, and then kept going with its carefully balanced mix of sophistication, fun and earthiness. By all accounts, Haydn’s stay in London was a particularly happy and productive period of his life, and the many well-rounded works that came out of it only seem to confirm that notion. On Saturday, maestro Emelyanychev and the orchestra made sure to convey the Symphony No.103’s superior craftsmanship, unstoppable momentum and light-hearted mood for a totally uplifting journey, the kind we will certainly need more of in the years to come.
