Laura Motchalov, Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra, Lawrence Loh - Saturday February 20, 2010

I recently met Laura Motchalov through a mutual friend. When she told me she was performing the Shostakovich First Violin Concerto with the Youth Symphony, I had to attend. I love Shostakovich and I love violin concertos, how could I resist. Seriously, this concerto is the most recent concerto that can be called standard repertoire (though you could argue for Bernstein's Seranade, I don't think it is quite there yet). Most solo violinists now record the Shostakovich First and the major orchestras are not too afraid to program it. Even our beloved, conservative PSO is doing it next year with Leila Josefowicz.

The PYSO is made up primarily of High School musicians with a few college underclasspersons mixed in. Lawrence Loh is in charge of the orchstra and also Resident Conductor for the PSO. Laura is in the Second Violin section of the PSO and also plays with the local new music group, IonSound. Mr. Loh, talking before the performance, stated that he gave Ms. Motchalov carte blanche to choose a piece, and I and quite happy she choose this one.

The PYSO opened with Shostakovich's Festive Overture. I believe this was the kind of music that the Soviets wanted Dmitri to write. It is short, a little bombastic, and actually Festive. The PYSO played it with gusto. I was having a little thought experiment about what if Copland and Shostakovich had been switched at birth. Copland, under less overt pressure, created music that really celebrated America. Shostakovich, under great pressure to celebrate, often seemed to be mourning his country.

That brings us to the First Violin Concerto. The story about the concerto is quite revealing about the concerto. Shostakovich kept the piece unplayed for many years until Stalin died and he felt it was safe to have it played in public. It is exactly the kind of piece that they did NOT want Dmitri writing. Two long slow movements, each followed by fast, biting, over the top wild music. In the opening movement, the sounds were muted, which emphasized the symphonic element of the movement. This isn't exactly an orchestra piece with violin obbligatto as the violin p[art is too important and prominent. Still there really are no virtuoso elements to it. Slowly the solo violin weaves it's way in and around the orchestra, playing with rather than in opposition. This must present challenges in sustaining a somber mood through about 12 minutes of music. Laura, Mr. Loh and the orchestra did this well. Nothing hurried about it but with good concentration.

The Second, scherzo movement, changes mood immediately with these rhythmic bursts from the solo violin. This builds in speed and intensity until it becomes wild, playful, sarcastic. I expect that Stalin particularly would have hated the juxtaposition of the somber with sarcastic. Laura's violin work was nicely playful in this movement, fleet and lively.

For me, it is the Third movement that is the crux of the piece. Here the somberness of the first movement becomes out and out mournful. Even with the distractions which come with this type of concert, such as the little guy across the aisle banging on his armrest with his Spiderman action figure (at least it was in time with the music), this performance was quite moving. I felt overwhelmed by it for a few moments. A great live performance can do that in a way that even a great recording can't really capture.

The violin cadenza that bridges the Third and Fourth Movements is the longest cadenza that I know. It also really does advance the musical argument of the piece. It finishes the Third movement and slowly works it's way toward the last movement, called Burlesque by Shostakovich. The soloist does get to show off a bit in the cadenza and Laura showed off quite well.

Going from mournful to Burlesque is quite a trick, Shostakovich takes a full four and a half minutes for the Cadenza to accomplish this. Then we are off to the races, the violin needing to be fleet, bouncy and powerful often all at the same time. Laura brought this off, often with a good bit of flair. Again, the juxtaposition of the third and Fourth movements is powerful. This Burlesque, while certainly fun, is over the top in its frivolousness, just what the Soviets didn't order. Thoroughly enjoyable. The PYSO supported Laura and followed Maestro Loh well.

I do enjoy seeing a student orchestra when they play as well as this group does. The differences between them and a top orchestra are vast. This helps remind me what an accomplishment it is to do what great orchestras do. The PYSO did present the music such that I could enjoy it. That is quite a accomplishment and some of these musicians will surely go on to musical careers.