Houston Symphony Orchestra– 02/24/24

Saturday evening at Jones Hall, former Houston Symphony music director Christoph Eschenbach conducted a program consisting of a single work– Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 8 in C minor. (Warning: this review contains extensive use of superlatives.)

The combination of Christoph Eschenbach and the Houston Symphony has a rarified history of exceptional performances. This comes from mutual admiration, respect, and trust. The third component is the Houston audience, who showed their anticipation of excellence by standing the moment Eschenbach entered the stage. This adulation was rewarded by an HSO performance that was the greatest I have ever heard.

Bruckner symphonies are not easily mastered by conductors or orchestras. While widely varied in compositional structure, they possess a unique combination of spirituality, dance elements, and naivete. Extended melodic lines are not commonly employed, with the Fourth Symphony being a notable exception. The Eighth Symphony is episodic, with quick changes of mood and texture. Maintaining cohesion and flow requires skilled direction executed by skilled musicians.

A complex symphony is created by a single mind, then assigned to multiple instrumental parts, and molded by a conductor back into a single mind. Eschenbach has the musical genius to make this transition. The HSO moved as one, displaying commitment to a unified concept that was stunning in execution. For his part, Eschenbach did not simply conduct, he created ideas and emotions in the moment. It was thrilling to hear.

Dynamics were not simply soft and loud, but played with color. The first violins, sounding better than ever, produced several beautiful passages. Principal French horn William VerMeulen’s solos filled the hall with warm tones that embraced the listener. Leonardo Soto was brilliant in his extensive timpani part. The brasses, augmented by four Wagner tubas, added to the greatest volume of sound I have ever heard in Jones Hall. The whole orchestra contributed to a profound musical experience. Bravo to all!

This concert will be repeated Sunday at 2:30pm. Do not miss it.