Nakamatsu Performs Beethoven
by
Lyn Bronson
It is best to hear the Santa
Cruz Symphony in Watsonville, rather than at the Santa Cruz Civic Center, where
the acoustics are unclear, the piano sounds unrefined, and the seats are narrow
and uncomfortable. Unfortunately these factors, combined with a blustery rainy
downpour that inconvenienced arriving members of the audience, made for a less
than satisfying evening last night as Maestro John Larry Granger presented the
Santa Cruz Symphony in a program containing Rossini’s Overture to the Thieving
Magpie, Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with soloist Jon Nakamatsu, and
Mendelssohn’s Incidental Music to “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
It was the Rossini Overture
that came off the best in this concert, for Maestro Granger and the orchestra
pushed all the right buttons and succeeded in charming us with some fine
orchestral playing that made a fine effect.
It was two years ago this month
that Nakamatsu had an extraordinary success with the Santa Cruz Symphony
performing Mozart’s Piano Concerto in C Major, K.467. On that occasion, we heard
an elegant, stylish performance that was remarkable for its clarity, refinement
and charm. Unfortunately, Mr. Nakamatsu was not at the top of his form last
night in the Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 1, for he gave us a curiously
uninvolving performance. All the notes were there, and they were beautifully
played, but there were so many fussy aspects to his playing that the concerto
ended up lacking a coherent and logical musical structure. On this occasion
there was also a mannerism not observed in his playing before — he tended to
abruptly throw his hands dramatically into the air at ends of phrases, which
served no musical purpose and was so distracting I found it necessary to fix my
gaze elsewhere. However, his best playing was in the final movement, where we
began to feel there was truly a joy of music making, and not just piano playing.
Nakamatsu rewarded the audience with one encore, Schubert’s Impromptu in E-flat
Major, Op. 90, No. 2. This was performed as a crowd pleaser, rather than the
refined jewel it actually is.
It is possible that tomorrow’s
concert at Mello Center with its much finer piano and better acoustics will
result in a more pleasing concert and bring out the best in Mr. Nakamatsu. There
is no question that he is a fine pianist, for he has proved that over and over
again. Incidentally, Nakamatsu will be appearing in a solo piano recital on
Saturday March 17 at Sunset Center in Carmel in a presentation by Chamber Music
Monterey Bay.
Last night’s concert ended with
a performance of Mendelssohn’s Incidental Music to “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
The tubby acoustics of Civic Center all but obscured the clarity of the
elfin-like passages of the famous overture and the Scherzo, but overall, the
music still makes a most charming effect.
