The Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra Ends the Season with a Bang

Nakhonpathom, Thailand. September 24, 2011. With spectacular performances of two large Richard Strauss tone poems, The TPO proved once again that it is the best orchestra in Thailand. Putting both Don Juan and Till Eulenspiegels Merry Pranks on the same program, one after the other, is an act of supreme confidence, perhaps grandiosity, but with a young, energetic conductor, and mostly even younger musicians, lack of energy and stamina were not problems. Under chief conductor Gudni Emilsson, the large orchestra required for Don Juan, and the even larger ensemble for Till Eulenspiegel, played with a professionalism that was self-evident not only with the full orchestra, but also with the many solo passages sprinkled throughout both works. Particularly impressive was the difficult horn solo at the beginning of Till Eulenspiegel.

The major work on the first half of the program, was a performance of Carl Maria von Weber, Clarinet Concerto No. 2, with Italian clarinetist Giampiero Sobrino introducing me to this work for the first time. While Sobrino owns an extensive resume, I found his tone harsh and somewhat jarring. The only other clarinet concerto I know, is the often played Mozart concerto, and it was interesting to hear another work for this instrument.

This ended the TPO’s 2011 season. The program for the 2012 season is not out yet, with the exception of the first concert pair on November 4 and 5. I’ll be in the audience for all of the TPO’s performances which take place while I’m in Thailand. It’s a pleasure to listen to this orchestra.