### New York Philharmonic's Repetitive Programming Highlights Mixed Results in Beethoven and Brahms

The New York Philharmonic's recent performance of Beethoven's Seventh Symphony at David Geffen Hall raised questions about the risks of repeatedly programming standard repertory works. Given the short span since their last rendition under Esa-Pekka Salonen just over a year and a half ago, Friday's concert under the baton of Manfred Honeck invited unavoidable comparisons.

Honeck, conducting without a score, is famed for his expertise in Beethoven, with his 2015 recording of the Seventh Symphony with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra standing out in a competitive field. However, the Philharmonic's recent performance did not quite live up to its own standards or to Pittsburgh’s celebrated version. The first movement saw a pastoral lingering that lacked the necessary agility, while the drawn-out tempo in the third movement's Trio section felt strained rather than emotionally compelling.

Despite familiarizing Philharmonic audiences with novel interpretations, Honeck's unique rendering of the second movement as a hushed hymn achieved a rare soft and silky sound. However, the finale’s rapid pace resulted in a hurried rather than jubilant atmosphere, taxing the flute and oboe sections' precision.

After intermission came Brahms’s Piano Concerto No. 1, featuring soloist Vikingur Olafsson. Known more for his performances of Baroque, Classical, and modern music, Olafsson brought an intriguing yet unusually delicate touch to Brahms’s dramatic concerto. This interpretation, while poetic, lacked the full weight and ferocity traditionally associated with the piece. Nevertheless, the Philharmonic's second movement revealed quiet precision and warmth, particularly from the bassoons and clarinets, showcasing moments of musical excellence.

This concert highlighted the challenges and occasional rewards of revisiting classic works so frequently. While there were moments of fresh interpretation, the repetition within a short timeframe underscored the difficulties in living up to past performances and listener expectations.