The Montreal Symphony Orchestra was appearing in the prestigious Chopin and His Europe Festival this year. I missed Sunday night’s performance, but hearing this great Canadian orchestra on Monday (August 24th) left an indelible impression on me.
The concert opened with a transcription of Debussy’s L’isle joyeuse. The orchestration is an effective one, a showcase for the strengths of the ensemble. Music director Rafael Payare drew out beautiful colours from the solo players of the orchestra and marvellously highlighted the splashes of colours in the score.
For me, there are two composers whose piano works are almost impossible to transcribe, because they are composed so specifically for the instrument – Chopin and Debussy. While I could hear the colourful orchestration of L’isle joyeuse, I would still far prefer the original piano version, which is a stunning piece of writing for the instrument, and is, ironically, more effective than an orchestral arrangement.
There are probably many who still think of Eric Lu as the brilliant young man who stole the hearts of many at the 2015 International Chopin Competition in Warsaw, where he received the award for 4th place. To be sure, the overwhelming talent is still evident, but is now tempered by age, experience, and maturity. Lu’s performance of Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor last evening should have left no doubt in anyone’s mind that a true artist and musician took home the gold medal in the 2025 competition.
It was an emotional experience for me to sit in Warsaw’s Philharmonic Hall, where so many great performances of this very work took place here over the years. Eric Lu’s performance last night towered over even his own astounding performance of the Concerto in F minor in the finals last year. During the 30-plus minutes of the performance, we witnessed a great artist at work. The poetry and lyricism were still evident, but there was so much more. It was playing that struck the perfect balance between thoughtfulness and spontaneity, between ardent emotion and restraint, and between youthful spirit and deep musical maturity. In many of the passagework in the outer movements, Lu’s virtuosity gave any 16-year-old “genius” more than a run for their money. But it was the beauty of his sound, the depth of his feeling, and the perfect way he shaped each phrase, all without sacrificing the overall architecture of the work, that made the performance so special.
For me, it was one of the most moving performances of this concerto I have heard in recent memory, far, far beyond any of the outstanding performances in the competition last year.
Eric Lu’s music making is interesting. When he plays, it is as if one is eavesdropping on someone playing for himself. At the same time, with the beauty and luminosity of his playing, one cannot help but be drawn into his private sound world. I am convinced that Lu is one of today’s finest young artists.
Payare and the orchestra were, for the most part, sympathetic partners in Lu’s enterprise. This is a challenging concerto for both orchestra and conductor, and it really takes a conductor sensitive to the soloist’s musical train of thought to bring off a successful performance. Between soloist, conductor and orchestra, the performers brought off the concerto very successfully. I was only wondering about how Payare phrased the playing of the opening tutti, which somehow made the phrases sound a bit clipped and disjointed. Perhaps he was trying to create contrast here with the long legato lines of the piano solo?
After a well-deserved standing ovation, Lu sat down and played Chopin’s Prelude in D-flat Major, Op. 28, No. 15, with the same depth of sound and feeling he instilled into the concerto.
In the second half, the Montreal Symphony Orchestra under Rafael Payare showcased Richard Strauss’ epic tone poem, Ein Heldenleben. A few years ago, I heard this same work under the baton of one of the orchestra’s former music director, Zubin Mehta, and I was still carrying the sound of that performance in my head as I eagerly awaited last night’s performance.
From the first notes, Payare injected an incredible energy into the music, energy that he and the orchestra kept until the end. It was a performance of great brilliance, ensemble accuracy, colour and excitement. To be sure, it was a performance of great sonic splendor. In time, perhaps Payare would take a step back and give the many introspective moments (yes, there are those) greater depth of feeling. I must commend concertmaster Andrew Wan for the incredible flair he brought to his very demanding solo part.
I am grateful for the opportunity to experience this great performance by one of Canada’s most distinguished orchestras, and in one of Europe’s greatest musical festivals - yes, my Canadian heart was swelling with pride. From the introspection and beauty of Eric Lu’s playing to the ultra-extroverted – in the best sense of the word – performance of the Strauss, it was truly a feast for the ears.
