Mitsuko Uchida’s graceful performance stuns the audience at the BSO
The BSO performs Beethoven and Shostakovich
Photo courtesy of Hilary Scott
Decoding Shostakovich, Orchestral Program 3: Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 in G, Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 15
Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO)
Conducted by Andris Nelsons
Featuring Mitsuko Uchida on piano
Boston Symphony Hall
April 19, 2025
On Saturday, April 19, the BSO concert began with iconic pianist Mitsuko Uchida’s breathtaking rendition of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4, which mesmerized the audience. After Uchida’s performance, the BSO performed Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 15, the composer’s last symphony before his death in 1975.
Uchida, renowned for her profound musical insights and the emotional depth she brings to her interpretations, proved why she is regarded as one of the foremost pianists of our time. Known for her unparalleled interpretation of composers like Mozart, Schubert, and Beethoven, her performance was nothing short of revelatory, capturing the full range of Beethoven’s complexity with both grace and intensity.
The concerto began with the piano’s stately opening in Allegro Moderato, followed by the violin’s sweet and soothing melody. As the crescendo built up, the violin’s articulation became more complex, especially as the syncopation mimicked gallops and leaps and culminated into a regal sound.
In the first movement, Uchida played with a graceful fluidity, her fingers gliding over the keys with controlled, methodical precision. The ascending and descending notes had a rolling, wave-like quality. The music was like water, constantly changing shape. At times, she played lightly, causing the notes to flutter like a butterfly and take on a shimmering, sparkly quality. Her performance was marked by elegance and poise, creating a dreamy and ethereal atmosphere.
As the instruments conversed through their calls and responses, a sense of blissful harmony unfolded, with each movement building tension and release with a hypnotic rhythm. The music enveloped the audience — each note like a breath — lulling them into a state of serene reverie. This blissful, dreamy state was romantic and dizzying.
In the second movement (Andante con moto), the forceful bowing of the violin sounded angry, providing significant contrast to the piano’s slow and quiet solo because of its contemplative, brooding nature.
The constant back and forth between the violin and piano gave rise to tension that felt tangible, ultimately leading to a moving piano solo full of sorrow. The piano’s trills resembled swirling winds that became increasingly stormy. Then, the piano returned to its quiet state, concluding with the violin’s nicely drawn out, faint bowing that reflected the sadness in the piano’s melody.
The concerto ended with Rondo, a movement distinctive for its jovial, light-hearted opening. The rapid sixteenth notes in the violin and piano pulsated with palpable energy, creating a celebratory atmosphere. Unlike the second movement, the back and forth between the piano and violin was much more playful and amusing, which was refreshing.
After she played the final chords with full force, the applause was relentless, echoing through the hall for what seemed like an eternity. Enthusiastic shouts of “Bravo!” and fervent calls of “Encore!” filled the air, a testament to the stunning performance that had just unfolded.
After the intermission, Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 15 unfolded with a series of striking juxtapositions. In the first movement (Allegretto), the piece sounded mischievous and clown-like, especially the humorous recurrence of the William Tell overture motif and the childish tune of the glockenspiel chime. Similarly, the violin’s pizzicato contributed to a jumpy, tip-toey feeling.
At other times, the symphony felt somber and pensive, weighed down by the weariness of the day and trudging forward with a quiet resolve. In particular, the cello solo in Adagio was elegiac due to the high notes that possessed a piercing quality. The vibrato further added to this sadness because of a gentle shaking that conveyed emotional tenderness.
Yet, in other instances, the hall erupted with triumphant booms, climatic sharp snaps, and the playful, gentle twinkling of a night sky, as if the music itself was capturing the contrast between the burdens of life and the fleeting moments of joy. The symphony’s shifts kept the audience on the edge, swept between moments of deep reflection and bursts of exuberant energy.
Adagio Allegretto, the final movement, was tumultuous and jarring due to its dissonance, capturing the composer’s trepidation of reaching the end of one’s life. As the piece drew to a close, Conductor Andris Nelsons raised his arms in a dramatic gesture, leading the orchestra through the final moments of the piece with commanding intensity. In perfect unison, the musicians brought the symphony to a thrilling close, the last notes hanging in the air as if suspended in time.
The audience erupted into resounding applause while Nelsons paused and then offered a gracious nod to the orchestra, acknowledging the fervent cheers.
After the concert ended, we stepped into the warm evening, where the city greeted us with the noisy hum of cars and buses, as well as the lively chatter of crowds hurrying along the sidewalks on a weekend night.
At that moment, we were reminded of Shostakovich’s own musical shifts — how the frenetic pulse of the city mirrors the breathless rush of our own lives. Yet when seen from afar, from the stars themselves, all that noise and motion shrinks to nothing; we are just specks of dust on a rock spinning endlessly through the dark. As in Shostakovich’s symphony, life swings between the chaos we feel up close and the vast, indifferent stillness that surrounds us — fleeting music played against an eternal quiet.