An interesting afternoon with the OBC

On paper, the program for the weekend concert at L'Auditori looked interesting. And judging by the results, the interest was total. Let's start, however, with the second part: given the budgeted value of the former military service, it was obvious that the OBC must have a lot of experience with a work like the Symphony No. 1 in B-flat, Op. 38 Schumann's. And it's true that the overall performance was good, but it's in that repertoire where—I think—our orchestra sometimes reveals an inertia that only the most authoritative conductors can break. And this is not the case with the Lithuanian Giedre Slekyte, a professional conductor who seemed to bow to the status quo without shaking the orchestra's routine foundations. Nothing to say. But nothing to highlight from a second half that was just passable.

In contrast, the first part proved highly stimulating: the Nachtstück Franz Schreker's piece is sinuous, dreamlike, and instrumentally rich. It belongs to an opera that we've taken far too long to see at the Liceu. Der ferne KlangA fine start for the OBC against a now truly engaged Slekyte, who demonstrated a clear understanding of the territory she was treading. Conceived in 1906, Schreker's composition reveals the rich musical and cultural heritage of the period in which it was created. It is an essential work—like the opera from which it originates—that should be performed more often.

On February 6th —just over two weeks ago—, the Austrian composer Olga Neuwirth saw the premiere of her work in Munich Blue zonesConducted by Simon Rattle, this piece, conceived as a rhapsody for clarinet and orchestra, premiered with German soloist Jörg Widmann, who has now returned to Barcelona for the performance. The soloist's versatility has prevailed in a speculative work, which, while more embellished than substantive, is nonetheless very interesting in terms of the ensemble textures it demands from the various sections of the orchestra, not to mention the virtuosity required of the soloist.

As I said at the beginning, it was a shame that the symphony Spring Schumann's performance did not build upon Slekyte's good work in the first part, and the OBC members became too relaxed, offering a routine version of the German musician's piece.