Roamings of a Leo: Yo-Yo Ma and Dudamel at the Bowl

Tuesday night was a celebration for music makers and lovers at the Hollywood Bowl. It was Gustavo Dudamel's first summer concert with the L.A. Phil and the capacity crowd of 18,000 people welcomed him warmly. It was also a warm night and when Gustavo was clearly too warm...people shouted "bring him a towel".

The first half of the program was Schumann's Cello Concerto in A minor, Op. 129 with three parts: "Nicht zu schnell, Lansam and Sehr Lebhaft". My German failed me on the third but I read the three movements as Not so Fast, Slowly, and Very Heartfelt. The whole piece was heartfelt with Yo-Yo Ma showing deep emotion and joy in playing the challenging piece. He also blended well with the orchestra, particularly with Martin Chaulifour, Principal Concertmaster, and the lead cellist of the night who I think was Tao Ni. He thanked both profusely and the end of the performance.

The second half of the program was Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Op. 36. In this piece which was written in Italy, Tchaikovsky expresses much emotion that he wrote about in a letter to his sponsor: "The introduction is the seed of the whole Symphony: This is fate: that fateful force which prevents the impulse to happiness from attaining its goal, which jealously ensures that peace and happiness shall not be complete and unclouded." Susan Key wrote in the program that Tchaikovsky's 4th "represents a turning point on multiple levels: as a composer, toward master of technique; as a human, toward confronting his demons; as an artist, toward a more cosmopolitan idiom."

For me it was all joyful with the beautifully delivered familiar music masterfully executed by the orchestra, with solos by Ariana Ghez, principal oboe, and punctuated by Joseph Pereira, principal Timpani. Gustavo performed with joy as he pranced and danced on the podium and seemingly directing the orchestra with slight movements...perhaps even of his eye brows...to which the orchestra beautifully responded.