The TPO Plays Brahms and Who?

Swiss composer Fabian Muller (left) cellist Pi-Chin Chien (center) and TPO principal guest conductor Claude Villaret (right)

 Mahidol Salaya Campus. Nakhonpathom, Thailand. June 2, 2012. From Alex Ross' masterpiece history of 20^th century music "The Rest is Noise," I've gained some understanding of what modern composers are trying to do and respect for their efforts. Their basic argument is that they can't keep composing more and more Brahms, Beethoven, Bach, etc. But, understanding and respect do not equal liking, and when listening to a new contemporary work, I react much the same way that today's stock markets react to new data: markets rise when the news is less bad than they anticipated, which becomes today's "good news." So, my reaction to hearing the world premier of Swiss composer Fabian Muller's (b. 1964) "Sirimadi" for Cello and Orchestra, is that I disliked it less than I thought I would. The cello soloist was the composer's wife, Pi-Chin Chien (who else would play this never-to-be remembered work). The gimmick in this piece was the use of two large traditional Thai instruments, the song mon, which physically dominated the orchestra and provided visual activity and interest lacking in the music itself. Like much contemporary music, the composer or someone on his behalf, undertakes to explain to the listener what he is trying to do (I can imagine Beethoven addressing the first performance of his 9^th symphony saying to the audience: "Now let me tell you about my 9^th symphony") and Fabian Muller, who was in the audience, gave a short talk about his "Sirimadi." Well, music is music, and commentary is commentary, and it might very well be that Muller is a better commentator than he is a composer. 

The two Thai-Balinese song mon instruments can be seen in the back row of the TPO

The Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra is a very good orchestra and its playing is always professional and sound. It's reading of Brahms' monumental Symphony No. 1, was correct in all respects, but it never rose above an accurate, by-the-book, note-for-note rendition, for which the conductor, Claude Villaret, must bear responsibility. If he had an interpretative base to express, it eluded me. I think that any conducting student with elemental baton technique, could have led this uninspired, directionless performance. But, it was enjoyable nonetheless, reinforcing the old saw that even a bad performance can't ruin great music.