In a program of mostly lesser-known works by Felix Mendelssohn, Jeffrey Kahane led the Colorado Symphony Orchestra as conductor and soloist in the German composer’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in D minor at Boettcher Concert Hall on Friday.
A subdued and subtle work, the Second is magnificently melodic. Kahane – in his only scheduled appearance as piano soloist with the CSO this season – bounded effortlessly through thickets of rapid-fire passages and captured the concerto’s sunny spirit, exceedingly tender and romantic themes, and many instances of introspection and mystery.
The orchestra – in 18th-century configuration, with the basses and cellos joining the violins on stage left and the violas on the right – looked on as Kahane subsequently delved into three of Mendelssohn’s many and beloved “Songs Without Words.”
Interspersing such miniature and deceptively simple solo works within an otherwise orchestral program was common in Mendelssohn’s day, and Kahane – ever the consummate historian, teacher and performer – thereby ensures an authentic experience of that era. Kahane’s light and breathtakingly swift delivery of the song in C Major, Op. 67, was especially impressive.
But the gleaming star of the evening – unfortunately performed before a notably sparse audience – was “Die Erste Walpurgisnacht,” a cantata for chorus and orchestra set to a ballad by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, with whom Mendelssohn had a complex relationship.
Performed for the first time in Denver, and dedicated to the Colorado Rockies in a nod to their recent successes, this skillful and elegant presentation of the alluring choral masterpiece demonstrated the best of all that Kahane, the CSO and the fabulous, full-bodied CSO offer our city.
Upon his engaging and insightful commentary to contextualize the mighty work, Kahane proceeded with a deeply felt musical interpretation of a profound literature that bespeaks the tragedy of the persecution of the Druids in the Middle Ages, as well as broader reflections on religious divisions throughout history. A trio of strong soloists – baritone Christopher Feigum, tenor Richard Troxell and mezzo-soprano Shannon Magee – illuminated the libretto in a well-blended counterpoint.
Also on the program was a tight reading of Mendelssohn’s overture to “The Fair Melusine,” a lyrical and rhythmic evocation of a medieval French romance in which Melusine, a mermaid, forgoes her fishy, watery ways long enough to win the heart of and marry Count Raymond of Poitiers on dry land.
