Bryce Dessner's Violin Concerto

Two weeks ago the San Francisco Symphony gave the American premiere of a substantial Violin Concerto by Bryce Dessner, the singer/composer from the indie rock band The National, and a recent collaborator with Icelandic performance artist Ragnar Kjartansson. The composer was also sitting across the aisle from me, as you can see in the above pic taken by concert companion James Parr.

The concert started with Music Director Esa-Pekka Salonen conducting Beethoven's Leonore Overture #2 with very eccentric tempos. This was followed by an exhilarating performance by Finish violinist/composer/conductor Pekka Kuusisto in Dessner's first Violin Concerto, which was a smashing success. The first movement sounded a bit like John Adams' Shaker Loops on steroids, with propulsive fiddling punctuated by percussion strikes. The long, slow second movement had Kuusisto wandering all over the place, into microtones, folk tunes, and ghostly strains using extended techniques that Kuusisto seemed to be inventing. This was followed by a satisfyingly rousing finale. (Photo above by Stefan Cohen.)

The work was exciting, accessible, and filled with energy, and has a good chance to eventually become a part of the classical repertory. The concerto actually deserved the standing ovation it received on Saturday evening. I did not stay for the Schubert Fifth Symphony after intermission because I was still tingling from the Dessner and didn't feel like dessert. My companion, James Parr, found it delightful and said it made him feel full while SF Chronicle critic Joshua Kosman hinted that I had made the right choice.