Swashbuckling Shostakovich

In its signature hall at Mahidol University, the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra (TPO) earlier this month gave us a most enjoyable Rhapsody In Blue by Gershwin, with the piano brightly and playfully played by Bennett Lerner, then keyed us in for darker drama from Shostakovich’s Symphony No.5 — an epic piece from a composer whose music often caused him serious problems with Stalin’s USSR government (Gershwin was probably banned there for being too American and decadent, so a good programming link to Shostakovich).

We were treated to an outstanding, overwhelming performance conducted by Swiss maestro Claude Villaret — tight, crisp, incisive, edgy — that at times made for almost unbearable nervous tension, relieved by big all-embracing waves of sound surging up from deep down.

If it’s true that Shostakovich said that the 5th was “a Soviet artist’s creative response to justified criticism” from the Soviet government after his opera Lady Macbeth (at a time when other artists were being imprisoned, made to disappear, even executed), this riveting performance shows us that he was never going to give in so easily, bringing out the ambiguities which fooled Stalin into thinking that this was indeed a tamed and reformed Shostakovich, but subtly revealing his true feelings and defiance. Claude Villaret and the TPO dramatised this conflict brilliantly throughout, memorably in the Scherzo with its contrasts of the gross and the grotesque and the quietly intense insight into Shostakovich’s real feelings.

Scary stuff in a cold and dangerous climate, with the TPO playing as dangerously on the edge as Shostakovich composed — and lived. They made us feel the individual’s plight in an oppressive system — a feeling we can relate to here as well — as we were pulled and pushed through the tumult of twists and turns, the fears and frights to finally arrive at a rousing powerful thrilling affirmation, which the Soviet government took to mean that Shostakovich had delivered what they prescribed: music that conformed to their populist political philosophy, music that would have the people march forwards to their wonderful future.

But they missed what Villaret managed to bring into the final moments — ambiguities of uncertainty and selfdoubt. Unlike many performances, this ending was not one of simplistic triumph which endorsed the Soviet state. Shostakovich was not going to sell out so easily.

It takes an exceptional performance to bring out all that and we certainly got it from the TPO, responding precisely and wonderfully to Villaret’s dramatic reading. We had the big and the broad, the fine and the nuanced — with leader Omiros Yavroumis’ solo taking us heart-rendingly, movingly, into the composer’s inner self-doubt, pain and solace.

This concert had the TPO fired up, responding to each other perfectly and to all that Villaret asked for. I have not heard them play at this level of commitment for some time, so in tune with chief guest conductor Villaret that it’s a pity this is his only visit this season.