Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra prepares celebration of Beethoven

The all-Beethoven program includes the “Fidelio Overture,” the first symphony and the fifth piano concerto, “The Emperor,” with Anton Nel as soloist. Although the years separating the first symphony from the last piano concerto are not many, the emotional distance between the two is great, Lipsky said in a recent phone conversation.

“The first symphony is young, cheerful and optimistic. Beethoven has no ear problems yet,” he said. “In contrast, the last piano concerto displays a vast maturity and lyricism, leading the way to the great piano virtuosos of the 19th century.” Even as it looked back to its forebears, the first symphony also led the way, Lipsky noted: “The first symphony is in the great tradition of Mozart and Haydn,” he said. “but already you sense the traits of the great Beethoven. He used the wind instruments in a way that was not done before, and thought the structure is traditional, there are fresh and bold ideas.”

Among them: unexpected sforzandi (sudden loud, strong accents) and a minuet so fast it is actually a scherzo, Lipsky said.

Looking back to forebears, though, is an exercise that applies not just to the sole symphony on the bill, but to the soloist in the concerto.

“You may not know this, but I belong to this great line of teachers going all the way back to Beethoven,” said Nel, a distinguished artist and former University of Michigan professor who makes his 7th A2SO appearance Saturday.

“My teacher in South Africa, Adolph Hallis, studied for years with Theodor Leschetitzky in Vienna. Leschetitzky was a Liszt pupil and my teacher had some great anecdotes passed down. Liszt, of course, was taught by Czerny, and Czerny by Beethoven. So my current students are separated by 6 degrees from The Master. Very fun!”

Nel, who now teaches at the University of Texas, Austin, and tours internationally, made his professional debut—at age 12—with the first Beethoven piano concerto. What’s his favorite of the 5?

“I adore playing the ‘Emperor’ Concerto,” he wrote in an e-mail. “If I have to be completely honest, the Beethoven 4th Concerto is really my favorite one of the set, and has been a desert island piece since I was quite young (I played that in Ann Arbor some years ago, with Samuel Wong.)

“The ‘Emperor’ is, of course, not too shabby either (we pianists are blessed with so much wonderful music), and in a way is much easier to play than the 4th because it's so extroverted. Of course it has darker moments in it, and the slow movement is one of Beethoven's most beautiful, but the whole work is full of such unbridled joy that it's hard not to get swept up in it! My favorite moment in it is probably the magical transition from the 2nd to the 3rd movements: pure genius on Beethoven's part. How the people must have reacted to that the first time!”

Lipsky, too, declares that No. 4 is probably his favorite—until he considers No. 5’s slow movement. Another thing he and Nel agree on is how much they like to work together.

“I’m really looking forward to this concert with all my friends in Ann Arbor,” Nel wrote. “Everyone there has been so good and loyal to me, and it's a treat to work with Maestro Lipsky. I still have great memories of our Brahms 2nd…”