V. Goldberg: Spellbinding! Orchestra Festival at CCP

The formidable concert of Victor Goldberg at the Philamlife Theater opened with Mozart’s Sonata in D Major, a work which showed the composer’s complete command of the technical resources of his time. Goldberg fully captured and encapsulated its delicacy and playfulness in true Mozartean spirit.

The very familiar Sonata in E Major by Domenico Scarlatti, a traditional selection, was interpreted more briskly than is traditionally done. The piece, as well as Mozart’s was in stark contrast to Scriabin’s fiery and tumultuous Sonata No. 5 F in Sharp Major. Replete with involved, complex devices, it had occasional tender passages. Brahms’ Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel  — though the pyro-technics of this were conventional — and Scriabin’s Sonata stirred up a veritable tornado.

In either piece, Goldberg demonstrated unsurpassable breadth, power and fire.

In Brahm’s Variations and Fugue, the dramatic passages created as much impact as the lyrical, lilting portions. The sweep and force of the chords were tremendous; the rippling runs were produced by incredibly dexterous, nimble fingers.

In the Scriabin Sonata, the diversity and range of the dynamics, the tonal richness left an enormous impression. Incomparable technical prowess was spellbinding; artistry was of the most sensitive.

Perhaps, owing to scant publicity, the hall was lamentably half full. But audience appreciation was so delirious, the standing ovation so spontaneous that Goldberg generously responded with three encores: Musical Moments in E Minor by Rachmaninoff, a Chopin Polonaise and “October” by Tchaikovsky. The first two were vividly virtuosic; “October” was played pianissimo throughout, its lyricism surfacing with the subtlest, most subdued nuances drawn from the pianist’s emotional depth.

One of my regrets, during my studies at Harvard U. was missing a Horowitz concert in Boston’s Symphony Hall. The Russian-born Israeli Goldberg has been compared to the towering pianist by a New York critic. Might I not now presume that I have heard a young Horowitz? (Thanks to the Ros Music Center for the Bosendorfer.)

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The National Orchestra Festival, the first of its kind in the country, will be held Sept. 21-25 at the CCP main theater. Tagged “Magnitude 7 on the Orchestra Scale”, it will feature seven of the finest orchestras: FilharmoniKA under Gerard Salonga, the Manila Symphony Orchestra under Arturo Molina, the Angono Chamber Orchestra under Nonoy Diestro, the UST Symphony Orchestra under Herminigildo Ranera, the Predis Chamber Orchestra under Jeffrey Solares, the UP Orchestra under Edna Martinez and the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra under Olivier Ochanine.

On Sept. 21, the Festival opens with the PPO playing Colas Breugnon Overture by Kabalevsky, Pastorale d’ete  by Honneger, and Symphony No. 40 in G Minor by Mozart. The Festival Orchestra will render Symphony No. 5 in E Minor by Tchaikovsky.

In the grand finale on Sept. 25 the Festival Orchestra under various conductors will play Bernstein’s Three Dance Episodes from “On the Town”, Wagner’s “Elsa’s Procession” from Lohengrin, Brahms’ Academic Festival Overture, Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis and selections from Khatchaturian’s Gayane Ballet Suite.

On Sept. 22, PREDIS interprets Mozart’s Divertimiento in D Major, Vivaldi’s Concerto Grosso in A Minor, Bach’s Concerto for Two Violins in D Minor, Grieg’s Suite from Holberg’s Time and Bartok’s Rumanian Dances. The MSO plays Peña’s Festival Overture, Tchaikovsky’s Tempest and Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite.

On Sept. 23, the UST Orchestra will render Wagner’s Rienzi Overture, Mozart’s Piano Concerto in B Flat Major with soloist Najib Ismail, and Sibelius’ Finlandia. FilharmoniKA will perform Terry’s Theme from Chaplin’s “Limelight”, arranged by G. Salonga; Mussorgsky’s Night on the Bald Mountain, F. Feliciano’s Yerma, and Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances from “West Side Story”.

On Sept. 24, the UP Orchestra will play Mozart’s Overture to the Impressario, Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings and Buenaventura’s “Mindanao Sketches”. The Angono Orchestra will render Buencamino’s Pizzicato Caprice, Vivaldi’s Violin Concerto in A Minor with Mikhail Ramos as soloist, San Pedro’s Katutubong Awitin and Jubilate arranged by Nonoy Diestro.