[This review will appear in the Salinas Californian on Monday, January 18, 2009]
The sparks flew last night as a new and exciting pianist made his debut with the Monterey Symphony at Sherwood Hall. New on our shores and making his debut locally, was Pedro Carboné, in a solid and convincing performance of Schumann’s beloved piano concerto.
As familiar as this great concerto is, Carboné found new things to say both in the powerful development section of the first movement and in his lovely heartfelt performance of the second movement. Carboné proved himself equal both to the lyrical and technical challenges this work presents to the performer and came through with flying colors. In the finale he whizzed along through the thorny passages like a man on a dangerous mission and brought the crowd to its feet in a standing ovation.
This was not the only performance to win a standing ovation last night, for the concluding work on the program, the Sibelius Symphony No. 1 also made a huge impression on the audience. Maestro Max Braggado may be Latin, but on this occasion he also seemed to have lots of Nordic blood flowing through his veins, for this was a rich and convincing performance. The Sibelius Symphonies are remarkable works that show their influence from Brahms and Tchaikovsky, and yet still prove that Sibelius was a powerful and original voice in twentieth-century music. That the audience responded so favorably to this music is an affirmation that audiences respond to art of intrinsic worth and substance, and not merely experimental works striving for novelty and originality. Incidentally, one of the great moments in this performance was the opening solo by clarinetist Ginger Kroft Barnetson — it was liquid gold.
Opening the program was Beethoven’s Leonore Overture No. 2. Although not as popular as Leonore Overture No. 3, its performance on this occasion achieved many moments of deeply felt passion and dramatic significance. It was a great pleasure to hear it.
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