Gustavo Dudamel concludes U.S. tour at Lincoln Center and the critics weigh in

The cross-country journey that Gustavo Dudamel is taking with the Los Angeles Philharmonic concludes this weekend in New York, where the 29-year-old conductor is leading two concerts at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center.

Dudamel is no stranger to New York audiences, having performed at Carnegie Hall with the Simón Bolivar Youth Symphony Orchestra as recently as 2007. But this is the first time he has conducted in the Big Apple as music director of the L.A. Philharmonic -- a role he assumed at the beginning of the current season.

Before playing in New York on Thursday, the orchestra performed in Washington and Philadelphia. On Friday, it crosses the Hudson River to play at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, and then returns to New York for yet another concert on Saturday.

Besides racking up frequent-flier miles, Dudamel also has been accumulating newspaper reviews for his appearances across the country. They haven't all been glowing or rapturous. The East Coast critics seem to have found much to be desired in his interpretations of Tchaikovsky's "Pathétique" Symphony. But there's little question that the tour has stoked national interest in the Venezuelan maestro. The orchestra has been playing to sold-out houses with enthusiastic audiences.

Here are some of the latest reviews from New York, Philadelphia and Washington:

Anthony Tommasini, the New York Times: "[Part] of the job description for a music director at a major American orchestra involves fostering the technical skills of the players and giving assured, fresh performances of works in the central repertory. In this regard, Thursday’s concert was a disappointment... Mr. Dudamel wrenched [Tchaikovsky's 'Pathétique' Symphony] every which way, and there were scrappy moments, as when the brass players, trying to fit a syncopated riff into the overall beat, seemed to struggle to find it."

Peter Dobrin, Philadelphia Inquirer: "I'd rather think that the Los Angeles [Philharmonic] board, administration, and players really believe they have a great musical thinker on their hands. But that's not who Dudamel is -- not now, at 29, not Wednesday night in Verizon Hall.... [For the Tchaikovsky,] lots of small and moderate deficits added up to a lot.... As for interpretive insight, there was little in the way of a personal stamp that, if you weren't exclusively charting the currents of the dark curls, would have made you realize that this was the artist said to be the fiery savior of an endangered art form."

Tim Smith, the Baltimore Sun: "There's an awful lot of substance behind the Dudamel juggernaut, and it was on display Monday night at the Kennedy Center.... It was possible to hear less-than-ideal playing at times, quite a few off-center notes from the woodwinds and brass, some fuzzy entrances. But it was also impossible to miss the expressive thrust from the ensemble, especially the huge surge of power behind fortissimo passages."

-- David Ng

Photo: Gustavo Dudamel conducts the L.A. Philharmonic at Avery Fisher Hall. Credit: Henny Ray Abrams / Associated Press

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Comments

[Peter Feldman]

I was disappointed of the conducting by Gustavo Dudamel last May 20th at Avery Fisher Hall.
His version of the Bernstein was correct but nothing extraordinary.
He is unconventional, innovative and eccentric. As such his rendering of the Pathetic Symphony was more Dudamel than Tchaikovsky.
He will conduct L'Elisir d'Amore at the Metropolitan Opera but i cannot imagine he conducting Parsifal by Wagner or Idomeneo by Mozart.
He seems to like rhythmic music but he does not seem to have a grasp of melodic and romantic music. He appeals to the young public liking jazz and exotic latin-american dancing music.
We are thinking that all the noise about his genius maybe was too premature. Obviously he is a good conductor for Venezuela and Los Angeles who never knew better, but is he good enough for New York City? I doubt that he is a new Karajan, Walter or Furtwangler.
We will see as time will tell during the next five years as his repertory progresses if he is a great conductor or he will fall in disregard as a real fiasco. I bet for the second because rapid rising stars fall very quickly too.

[Musicast]

@peter feldman
i play in a major orchestra (not la phil), listed as the best american one by dg. i have performed under dudamel before. i don't appreciate your unkind and subtly racist comments above. while dudamel is no god as being hyped, he is already a great conductor and musician, easily the best under-age-50-conductor of those frequently seen in this country, by far. i will pay to play mozart under this latin-oranginated musician myself anyday.

[Beto O'Byrne]

I had the good fortune to see Dudamel's concert last summer at the Hollywood bowl. This was a performance that was free to the public, what a beautiful thing it was to see so many people, especially those of the underprivledged class, come out to experience classical music!

I agree with the other poster that these criticism are coming from a time, and probably from older voices, that can't seem to accept someone so young, so Latino, who is charged with "saving classical music" as it's been said.

I am inspiored by The Dude, and for what it's worth, coming from a family of classical musicians, I thought his work on Beethoven's 9th was excellent.

[Vitner]

Mr. Feldman, you were apparently in the minority since much of Avery Fisher was ecstatic during the concert.

Dudamel may be over-hyped, that I agree, but he is extraordinary, just as the LA Philharmonic is. Maybe you enjoy fossilized music, which is fine, since I believe they have CDs for you and the rest of your ilk to enjoy. For those of us who like to see color and passion in music, however, we're enjoying the innovation and the fact that this new conductor is precisely neither Karajan, Walter or Furtwangler. He is amazing as Gustavo Dudamel, thank you.

BTW, here is the latest NY Times review: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/24/arts/music/24gustavo.html