Capture the magic of film even without a screen? A New Year's concert as a pioneering act

Aha, another New Year's concert. Nothing out of the ordinary at the KKL and all concert halls in the country at the moment. But for the City Light Symphony Orchestra, Friday evening's concert is a first. Based on Antonín Dvořák's ninth symphony “From the New World”, the orchestra under the direction of Kevin Griffiths creates a symphonic program in which film music for once only plays a peripheral role.

The fact that the ensemble that emerged from the other Lucerne film music orchestra is not just limited to John Williams, Howard Shore and Co. is shown regularly in mixed programs, such as the “HD Odyssey” trilogy, in which images from NASA with film music, Prokofiev or Strauss were combined, in best-of programs from video games or in collaboration with pop stars.

Managing director Pirmin Zängerle also points to the pioneering character of this concert. The orchestra really wants to present works from the “New World” here, not primarily film music. The suite from John Williams' film music for “Lincoln” takes on more of a filler role, while the symphonic dances from “West Side Story” by Leonard Bernstein and the “Cuban Overture” (the overture is available here at the end) by George Gershwin after the Symphony the main works are. The aim is to show the relationship between classical repertoire and film music.

Pool occupation and little time to breathe

Regardless of what the thinking behind the program is, the concept is appealing. In an almost sold-out KKL, the orchestra ventures into the infamous Ninth. This puts it in the domain of established classical formations such as the Festival Strings, the Lucerne Festival Orchestra or the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra. And, especially in the brass section, it may stumble because of the pool line-up: a selection of mostly strong soloists, who play together in ever-changing combinations, are less harmonious.

Emphasis on target notes after runs is used to stay together, to the detriment of the larger line, transitions have a lot of forward momentum instead of taking time for magic. The attempt to stop the performance from lasting fails due to the applause between movements. An expression of emotion from an interested audience, which conductor Griffith will later in the concert stop with a raised index finger and a charming smile. So the proof is missing, but the tempos seem fast, the solos are followed almost breathlessly by the next passage. That may be a matter of taste, but I'm out of breath.

Nevertheless, the large dynamic gestures that make full use of the basses, the respect for the middle voices in balance, the energetic and actively playing strings, which can easily stand up to the brass – which is heavily challenged in this demanding program – are still pleasant. And right at the end it becomes clear where all the time that was missing in the first movements is: Griffiths puts the magic in the finale, which unfolds an even greater impact than is already in the score.

Lives up to the name of a show orchestra

A good omen for the following works that came true. City Light can show off its strengths in the “West Side Story” snacks. Here the approximately 80 musicians work like cogs that mesh with each other. Percussion, percussive strings, agile wind instruments and extra noises such as collective snapping and the loudest “Mambo” I have ever heard screamed by an orchestra in the movement of the same name make the whole work a pleasure. You indulge in “Somewhere”, get caught up in the turbulent urban jungle, rumble with drive through the chromaticism of “Cool” and rejoice in the enthusiastic applause of the audience. That would have been a nice ending.

But the obligatory film music is still missing. In a speech to the audience, Griffiths emphasized once again that they are fundamentally a film music orchestra. But: “We have the impression that large symphonic music suits us and brings us joy.” In “Getting out the Vote” from Williams’ “Lincoln” suite, a snappy bluesgrass fiddle solo by concertmaster David Castro-Balbi can be enjoyed before the final stretch with Gershwin’s “Cuban Overture”. And yes, yes. Here you finally sigh at the beautiful lines and the flowery openings. A conciliatory ending. And then Griffiths scores with typical crowdwork in the encore. He quickly trains the voices of the approximately 2,000 motivated people in the audience. Instead of a New Year's greeting, the evening ends with another deafening “Mambo!”