On my mind over the past couple weeks has been the dual concepts of appreciation and recognition. In one’s capacity as a leader of an orchestra, whether as a music director or as a guest conductor, I feel it’s vitally important to make certain that not only does one appreciate what they have in the ensemble before them, but that they give recognition where it is due. A little bit of that can go huge distances in maintaining the morale of those of us in the trenches, so to speak.
This weekend, it’s been our wonderful principal cellist Nancy Ives who has gotten some long overdue appreciation and recognition. The Brahms Second Piano Concerto has one of the most sublime and difficult lyrical cello solos in the repertoire, and I must say that Nancy has played her heart out in this weekend’s performances. Emanuel Ax has been very effusive in his praise of her solos for the rehearsals and performances – he’s heard the best in the business play them – and tonight he gave an incredible show of recognition as one artist to another.
After the numerous curtain calls, he came over to get Nancy for another solo bow (he would take her up to the edge of the stage near the concertmaster’s chair for her bow), and they had a brief discussion, and she exchanged seats with concertmaster Jun Iwasaki, and she and Ax began to play as a joint encore, a movement from the ineffably beautiful Fantasy Pieces by Robert Schumann. Ax played without a score – he’s doubtless played this piece hundreds of times with his recital partner Yo-Yo Ma – and he and Nancy played beautifully together. She was relaxed and assured, and the sound just came with great ease from her cello. Many of us in the orchestra had misty eyes, for this was a moment that was long overdue for Nancy. No one tries harder than she does, and no one thinks more about the art and craft of making music than she, and I think that that very earnestness is often misconstrued, and it’s easy to lose sight of the sensitive musician-artist inside. No one has a bigger heart than Nancy, and it was such a great moment tonight to get to see it exposed in all its glory at the Schnitz.
Brava, Nancy.