Review: ‘Under Mr. Lacombe, this music was thrilling’

Reviewing the NJSO’s October 23 concert featuring violinist Gil Shaham performing Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto, Superconductor writes:

[T]his Garden State ensemble is playing at a very high level indeed. That observation was confirmed by Thursday’s first matinee concert of the season at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center’s Prudential Hall, that opulent venue that has served as home base since 1998 …
The orchestra was then joined by Mr. Shaham, whose violin managed to be both sweet and dry in this ever-popular concerto. This was among the earliest concertos to make the violin’s role one of continuous dialogue with the orchestra. Mr. Shaham and Mr. Lacombe played in easy conversation, with the orchestra supporting expertly and the violinist breaking into solo flight in the long cadenza that ends the first movement … As he went up for the last thrilling trills, he held the audience rapt, the woodwinds chirping underneath in a chorus of approval. Mr. Lacombe brought the work home in a rapid coda
…
The first movement alternates between a slow initial idea and a powerful, thrusting second theme. Under Mr. Lacombe, this music was thrilling, with clean-sounding, taut woodwinds and noble horns leading the way [in Franck’s Symphony in D Minor]. The English horn solo in the second movement recalled the haunted shepherd’s pipe from Act III of Tristan. The finale was big-shouldered and brash, led by an upbeat reworking of the main opening theme, itself alternating with one last Wagnerian idea. This performance was an excellent argument for this powerful work, which deserves to resume its place in the symphonic repertory.

Read the full review.