Bowled over by L.A.’s new maestro

And so, Saturday, it came to pass. After all the extraordinary buildup — the billboards and the bilingual media frenzy — 18,000 people from every corner of the city came to the Hollywood Bowl to bear witness.

He goes by many names: Gustavo the Great. Gustavissimo. The Dude. Some have taken to referring to the new music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic by his initials, thus: G*D.

It’s all too much, we critics judiciously caution. But in his first return to the Hollywood Bowl since making his U.S. debut there in 2005, the Dude pulled it off. Joy reigned. On Saturday, Gustavo Dudamel concluded "¡Bienvenido Gustavo!" — the 28-year-old Venezuelan conductor’s first concert as the L.A. Philharmonic’s music director — with a Beethoven Ninth to be remembered.

This was not so much a Beethoven Ninth for the ages (he has a lot of competition), as it was a performance of Beethoven’s last and largest symphony, an iconic work of classical music with a cosmic scope and a call for universal brotherhood, for multicultural Los Angeles at this moment.

Perhaps, most important, this was Beethoven for all ages. Dudamel made his first appearance on stage with the nearly 100 children of YOLA Expo Centre Youth Orchestra, who have had instruments in their hands only a little more than a year. As they sawed through a version by Steven Venz of Beethoven’s "Ode to Joy" from the Ninth’s last movement, they showed determination and pride. They had something to prove and they proved it, and that was an indescribable thrill.

Leonard Bernstein once said that we can never express too much joy when it comes to Beethoven, and Dudamel took him at his word. He needed some time warming up. Dudamel is not all Dionysian all the time, but the Greek god of pleasure was always looking over his shoulder.

This Ninth started out with proper seriousness. The craggy opening movement, a kind of calling up of creation, needed more depth of sound. But to achieve that it would have also needed more depth from a sound system still warming up.

The dance-like second movement had great snap and was followed by a rapturous slow movement.

But it wasn’t until the final movement, with its setting of Schiller’s "Ode to Joy," that Dudamel really began to demonstrate what all the fuss is about. In the opening, crazy made a sudden turn to grace. A chorus of nearly 200 (the Los Angeles Master Chorale supplemented with members from several local choruses) and four terrific vocal soloists (Measha Brueggergosman, Michelle DeYoung, Toby Spence and Matthew Rose) reached possible record levels of exhilaration.

Here, Dudamel tested limits. He took the final measures faster than reasonable but just short of impossible. A full moon rose over the Bowl’s hedges, as if elevated by the energy on stage. The camera panned over a multicultural chorus for the Bowl’s large video screens. Schiller’s quaint text was translated in alternating English and Spanish.

When it was over, Dudamel spoke briefly of the meaning of Beethoven, of the children and our future.

We are a continent together, he said, no North, no South, no Central America. He then repeated the last five minutes of the symphony with fireworks. It felt, at that moment, like the greatest show on earth.

-- Mark Swed

Photo: Dudamel at the Bowl. Credit: Lawrence K. Ho/Los Angeles Times

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L.A. welcomes Phil's Dudamel with joy

A world beat to Dudamel's welcome

 

Comments

[Logan]

Peter Wolf,

Why don't you wait for him to thank the "paying customers" when he actually starts conducting paid concerts? He has been nothing but thankful for this opportunity. Lest you forget that L.A. has a very large hispanic community and Dudamel is hispanic. Is it wrong that this was done in Spanish and English? No. This concert was done for the community as a whole and done for those that can't necessarily afford to go to Disney Hall. Dudamel has already brought in a large hispanic following and he isn't going to "pander" to just those who pay. He wants everyone to enjoy the music whether they can pay to see him or not. Its nice that you give him flack for putting on a concert for free when this concert could have easily sold out the Bowl if it were not free. I appluad Gustavo for what he has done thus far and look very much forward to his future here in L.A.

[Ronnie Finn]

It was an exhilarating concert, filled with energy, passion and hope for a new future. Bienvinidos, Gustavo!! LA needs your energy, your spirit and enthusiasm! A welcome change of winds!!

[ariel]

It is beyond imagination and staggers the mind
Will there be fireworks at all concerts .
Most of the concert world is laughing.

[Gary Schenk]

Poor Peter Wolf! "An out of control audience who did not even have the sense to not shout and applaud in the middle of the music. "

Imagine the horror of people enjoying classical music and showing it!

No wonder classical music is dying.

[StanfordChica]

@peterwolf

People like you are SO exhausting. I'm going to wager you complain about Latinos all the time, right? Right. And here's a man who can be an example to the Latino community, a man who has done something remarkable with his life, and you have the gall to deride him for speaking in Spanish to the audience? How narrow minded! ¡Que lástima! OOPS, forgive me. Translation: What a pity!

By the way, on Oct. 16, while you're listening to the concert over the radio, I'll be enjoying the music live from my seat at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Oh, and I'm Latina.

[Peter Wolf]

Some responses to my comments were;

* Some of the people in the audience cannot afford to go to Disney Hall for a concert'. That is nonsense. You can get tickets at concerts fairly cheap. Are they in the front row? No. But they are affordable. Its just that they do not choose to spend their money on classical concerts. So don't give me the, 'They've been victims of society and that's why they can't go'.

* What's wrong with cheering in the middle of the music? Not to do so is why classical music is dying. HUH ?? So would it be even more popular if we just shouted non-stop through the entire piece? What about the people who went to hear the music and not people shouting? Of course what they expected is of no account because, afterall, they were probably just old. So much for 'inclusion'.

[Anne]

The concert was an emotional and inspiring event. Yes, some people applauded between movements, expressing their appreciation and enthusiasm. And Gustavo is brilliant. However, let's banish the myth of the "free concert." While many people did get free tickets, many of us who stood in line and then dialed incessantly only to come up empty handed, did not get tickets. I was able to attend because of a friend who purchased 4 tickets from a scalper on Stub-Hub. She paid $53 apiece for four tickets in section W, row 2--10 rows from the back--where even the jumbo-trons are distant.

[MarK]

To ariel: the only fireworks during LA Phil's indoor concerts with Maestro Dudamel will be of purely musical kind. Meanwhile, you just keep laughing - it's good for your health.
To James: what particular pieces did you hear performed by the same orchestra and conducted by Salonen and Dudamel that made you conclude that Gustavo is "nowhere near as good" as Esa-Pekka? So far, my experience has been exactly the opposite: Dudamel getting a better performance not only in Beethoven's Ninth, but also in such Salonen "specialty" as Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique - and even in Esa-Pekka's own Insomnia, brilliantly conducted by Gustavo in Los Angeles last year.

[Roccia]

Lucky Los Angeles.

[Logan]

Peter,

Outside of the $17.00 bench seats and the $10.00 student and senior rush tickets the cheapest ticket that may be found at the Hall for an event is in the $26.00 range and that is if it is purchased at the Box Office. Now, I am not saying the Hall is expensive it is not affordable by all and the keyword you used is relatively. It may be relatively cheap for you but part of the point of the concert was to offer it to the community because not everyone can afford to see Gustavo at the Hall. Tickets for his concerts are not in the $26.00 range.

Anne,

It is harsh to say that this concert being free was a myth. Tickets at the box office didnt cost anything and the face value of the tickets was $0.00. It is unfortunate that scalpers were able to take advantage of people but you have the laws of the state of California to thank for that not the Phil.

[brian]

James is right. In response to MarK, Salonen has been markedly superior to Dudamel's take on most rep the two have led the Phil in at some point. Not only was Salonen's Berlioz superior, but anyone with more than a passing interest in classical music will tell you that Dudamel's histrionic Mahler and turgid Ravel don't even come close to anything Salonen has put before LA audiences. (And don't get me started on his lack of competency in things 20th century.)

Dudamel is fine if you don't care for subtlety or dynamics. He's got loud and fast down though. Which I suppose might just be the ticket to attract legions of new listeners unfamiliar with classical music to the LA Phil. The rest of us are already bored now that the charming glimmer in Dudamel's youthful eyes has worn off.

[MarK]

Well, i happen to have a "more than passing interest in classical music" and i "will tell you" that i disagree with brian's assessment quite strongly. Besides, most professional musicians i know that are familiar with both conductors' music-making share my point of view as well, even those with whom i disagree on several other music-related issues. So, brian is very wrong in making such a sweeping statement about "anyone". Disagreements are natural in the arts, so that is not a problem. Time will tell.

[craig]

Have to agree with MarK. Hard to believe someone could match Salonen as an advocate for 20th century music but Kurtag (Stele) and especially 'Insomnia' were brilliant. For me Dudamel may have been less than stellar a couple times (Debussy, Ravel)but otherwise we should all feel lucky. It's a new golden age. Cynics be gone!