Dalia Stasevksa leads the New York Philharmonic in a program featuring the world premiere of Wang Lu’s “Surge,” commissioned by the League of American Orchestras with the generous support of the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation. Photo by Chris Lee.
“Wang Lu’s ‘Surge,’ given its world premiere at the top of the” New York Philharmonic’s Friday concert, “is the product of an initiative by the League of American Orchestras to commission new works from six composers — all women — that will be guaranteed performances from ensembles across the country,” writes Joshua Barone in Sunday’s (1/22) New York Times. “Too often, premieres have short rehearsal periods; then, unless future performances are lined up, or unless soloists champion concertos written for them, the music can easily disappear. The League’s project at least gives contemporary work a fighting chance at longevity…. Wang’s piece has the elements of an enormous score skillfully accordioned into the shape of a much smaller one. From the flourish of its first measure, ‘Surge’ is a restless succession of swinging gestures, martial flashes and exercises in disparate, assertive voices coming in and out of focus, then occasionally finding common ground in a tutti mass … At the podium was Dalia Stasevska, in her second appearance with the Philharmonic…. Stasevska led the Wang with verve, commitment and, above all, clarity.” Also on the program were Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto with soloist Lisa Batiashvili and Sibelius’s Second Symphony.
