Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs in Arabic Unlock the Editor’s Digest for freeRoula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.Nico Muhly is one of the few contemporary composers who receives fairly regular premieres from chamber ensembles, orchestras and opera houses. Last week’s New York Philharmonic subscription concerts were centred around one of these, the world premiere of his Violin Concerto, commissioned by the Philharmonic and biotechnology executive Paul J Sekhri.Guest conductor Marin Alsop led, with Renaud Capuçon the soloist. The concerto seemed in part designed for the intense energy that leaps off the French violinist’s strings. He played almost nonstop through the three linked movements and seemed to grow more forceful and purposeful with each passing measure.Opening with darkly luminous descending scales, the three movements have closely matched tempi and moods, the piquant Muhly sound balancing sorrow and warmth. The solo part is through-composed. Some themes return, but this was performance as storytelling, the violinist leading and gathering the instruments behind him, the music gaining depth as it went along.Muhly has been moving away from the repetitive structures of minimalism, towards this extended lyricism — and stretches of the concerto would work with a soprano instead of violin. In this he emulates John Adams, and the music borrows specific details from Adams, such as chugging syncopations, woodwind flourishes and long lines descending over light string arpeggios. This reinforced its contemporary quality; it is not just an internal conversation, but one with his peers.The rest of the programme consisted of repertoire works: Beethoven’s Leonore Overture No 3 opened the evening, and after an intermission the Philharmonic played Brahms’s Variations on a Theme by Haydn and the Suite from Stravinsky’s The Firebird. The playing was technically skilful but, except for a few moments, didn’t capture the same interest as the Violin Concerto. It wasn’t because the music was familiar, rather that the playing didn’t have enough expression.The Overture kept approaching real passion, but never quite reached it. The Variations were lovely but polite, the fourth, “Andante con moto”, sluggish, the following “Vivace” brisk but lacking energy.Colours and balances in The Firebird Suite were refined and the “Lullaby” was positively sensuous, but there wasn’t enough punch or fire, even in the “Infernal Dance”. The transition to the “Finale” was excellent, and that seemed to excite the musicians, who brought it all home with the feeling that they had something to say.★★★★☆lincolncenter.org
