Benjamin Hochman | Pianist

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ORONO — Beethoven took over the second concert of the Bangor Symphony Orchestra’s current season on Sunday at the Collins Center for the Arts. At the tail-end of a capricious nor’easter, a goodly number of listeners found their way to the hall for a memorable afternoon.

Lucas Richman, music director, prefaced the music by asking audience members to imagine themselves hearing these pieces for the first time some 200 years ago. The referenced compositions included the Leonore Overture No. 3, op.72a, Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, op. 37 and Symphony No. 5 in C minor, op. 67. Richman noted that they were all written as Beethoven was going deaf.

The Leonore overture, one of four written for the composer’s only opera, “Fidelio,” is a dramatic landscape in sound. The orchestra responded to Richman’s nuanced phrasing and superb control of dynamics with its own musical integrity. Curt Brossmer’s offstage trumpet calls sent a thrill through the hall and Nicole Rabata’s lovely flute work added a bright new dimension to the music.

Benjamin Hochman, piano, teamed with the magnificent new Steinway in the concerto. Superlative words simply don’t describe the performance. Suffice it to say he was every bit the equal of the instrument and of anyone who has ever played this piece. Beethoven’s architectural beams, those arpeggiated themes and curlicued motifs were brilliantly presented and the first movement cadenza was to die for.

The second movement, truly a song without words, demonstrated the liquid tone Hochman could pull from the keys. There were a couple of moments in the third movement when soloist and ensemble tugged at each other, but that’s only human. It ended with a standing ovation for the slim, young artist and the orchestra as well.

Indubitably, four of the most difficult notes in the entire symphonic repertoire are those first dot-dot-dot-dash sounds of the Beethoven Fifth Symphony. Every orchestra dreads them, every conductor tries a new technique to get them together and sometimes it works. Most often it almost works. Once the initial statement and its copious reiterations are over, the first movement begins to build the monumental edifice that is the Beethoven Fifth.

The second movement Andante was a cello serenade. The section, under Noreen Silver’s leadership and Richman’s careful shaping, was perhaps the best it has ever been. The movement was stately and full of grace, an elegant space.

Enter the challenging Scherzo. The strings grumble against a reprise of the opening “V” motif in the winds and then take off on one of the most devilish passages in the literature for lower strings. Those familiar with the score probably took a deep breath along with the players just before the dive. The Bangor Orchestra’s violas, celli and double basses are to be commended for a well-practiced and disciplined effort. They nailed it.

There was also the famous ‘spook’ theme in this movement, heard by every child since TV cartoons were invented.

And so, on to the finale, worthy of John Philip Sousa but with the genius of a composer who knew how to squeeze, release and squeeze harder all those who listened. The many endings of this piece are the genesis of musical jokes, but to those who listened for the first time 200 years ago, they were a new era in music. Many thanks to the anonymous patron who sponsored this performance of the Fifth.

It was an afternoon of pure satisfaction. Familiar, well-loved music beautifully played. That’s the advantage of hearing it 200 years later.