By Dave Read, July 20, 2025 performance – Energy can be released in an explosive, spectacular fashion, and it can be released in a stalwart, rhythmic manner. Tonight, the Tanglewood audience saw both as pianist Yuja Wang performed the Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 2 in D minor, with the Boston Symphony Orchestra under the direction of music director Andris Nelsons.
Ms. Wang bounded onto the stage in a sparkling, skimpy, silver costume while Maestro Nelsons strode to the podium in black slacks and black short sleeve shirt, looking like a priest without the roman collar. In appearance, the two principles for tonight’s program in the Koussevitsky Music Shed, were opposites.
In performance, they united to produce a spectacular and thrilling performance of the piece that the composer himself premiered in Paris in 1924, under the direction of Serge Koussevitsky. The first quarter of the 20th century was every bit as culturally tumultuous as today is; with artists in all disciplines being pulled into and kicked out of real and imagined “schools.” Fauvism, Dada, cubism, surrealism…
And a fake ethos of “social realism” was being imposed on Prokofiev’s Russia, which resembles the sort of state-mandated mannerism that burdens arts and entertainment in America today. Politicians wield purse strings to make grant-dependent artists and arts organizations dance to tunes of their own tin-eared design and composition.
But artists of the stature of Prokofiev, Koussevitsk, Nelsons, the BSO, and Wang operate at a level secure from the prying paws of politicians. Early 20th century music is made brand new again one hundred years later and 3,500 miles to the west, even as our safety net is being dismantled systematically by artless actors enabled by an art-starved electorate.
After intermission, the orchestra performed the Berlioz Symphonie fantastique. Some two-thirds of the was through a beautiful, engrossing performance, we noticed Tanglewood personnel talking into their palms, the way Secret Service agents do. Their mission was to hurry lawn patrons to the safety of the Shed, because big rain was on the way. An unfortunate finale for an afternoon of brilliant performance in the Berkshires, where mother nature has been good to us all summer.