On the evening of March 14, the Georgian Philharmonic Orchestra transformed its home auditorium into a realm of profound emotional landscapes, deftly traversing the delicacy of Carl Stamitz, the haunting lyricism of Giya Kancheli, and the stormy grandeur of Johannes Brahms. Under the baton of Kakhi Solomnishvili and featuring violist Elene Gogodze, the evening’s program was a study in contrast—juxtaposing lightness and depth, serenity and tension, past and present.
The Viola Steps into the Spotlight: Carl Stamitz’s Forgotten Elegance
Viola concertos are rare creatures in the orchestral repertoire. The instrument, often relegated to a supporting role in symphonies and quartets, seldom gets the chance to take center stage. Yet, Carl Stamitz’s Viola Concerto in D major gave the instrument an opportunity to shine—and in the hands of Elene Gogodze, it did just that.
Gogodze brought warmth and precision to a work that is frequently overshadowed by Mozart’s violin and clarinet concertos of the same era. The opening Allegro unfolded with a dance-like buoyancy, the soloist’s phrasing effortlessly weaving through the orchestra’s bright accompaniment. The Andante moderato was where Gogodze’s artistry was most striking—the viola’s rich, velvety tone shaping each phrase with tenderness. By the time the Rondo arrived, her technical dexterity was on full display, navigating the virtuosic passages with clarity and playfulness.
The orchestra, under Solomnishvili’s attentive direction, provided an airy, translucent foundation, allowing the soloist’s sound to breathe. The result? A performance that felt like a rediscovery of a nearly forgotten jewel of the Classical era.
The Ghosts of Kancheli: Stillness, Silence, and Sudden Fury
If Stamitz’s concerto was a conversation in polite company, Giya Kancheli’s Largo and Allegro was an existential monologue whispered into the void, punctuated by shattering outbursts. The Georgian composer’s music defies easy categorization—his works often unfold in suspended time, marked by fragile silences and unexpected detonations of sound.
Solomnishvili led the orchestra with a near-meditative restraint in the Largo, allowing Kancheli’s signature stillness to stretch like a held breath. The music barely seemed to exist at times, hanging in the air like mist. Then, with a sudden shift, the Allegro arrived—violent, dissonant, unapologetic. Strings slashed through the texture, brass blared with brutal force, and percussion erupted in raw, elemental power.
Here was the stark emotional landscape that defines Kancheli’s work: beauty and despair, fragility and fury, silence and explosion. The Georgian Philharmonic Orchestra executed these shifts with unrelenting precision, leaving the audience suspended between tension and release.
Brahms’ Symphony No.1: The Weight of a Century, The Triumph of a Moment
After the intermission, the evening reached its grand culmination with Brahms’ Symphony No.1 in C minor. Often described as Beethoven’s “spiritual successor,” this symphony took Brahms over two decades to complete, its first movement alone carrying the weight of that struggle. The orchestra’s rendition was commanding—Solomnishvili sculpted the opening Un poco sostenuto with brooding intensity, the timpani’s ominous heartbeat setting the stage for a colossal journey.
The slow movement (Andante sostenuto) brought a rare moment of respite, where the strings unfolded with aching lyricism and the woodwinds responded with delicate interjections. The Un poco allegretto was a study in contrast—light-footed yet never superficial, a necessary breath before the final storm.
And then, the famous resolution: the triumphant finale that elevates Brahms’ symphony from mere struggle to transcendence. The Georgian Philharmonic Orchestra unleashed its full power here, building from the haunting alphorn-like introduction to the jubilant, soaring brass fanfare. It was a catharsis earned through fire—a symphonic ascent that left the audience visibly moved.
A Night of Extremes: From Delicacy to Devastation
The evening’s program was striking in its contrasts. Stamitz’s Viola Concerto was all elegance and charm, Kancheli’s Largo and Allegro veered between near silence and cataclysm, and Brahms’ Symphony No.1 charted the path from darkness to blazing triumph. Through it all, the Georgian Philharmonic Orchestra proved itself to be an ensemble of remarkable sensitivity and power.
Kakhi Solomnishvili conducted with a clear vision, allowing each work’s unique identity to shine—graceful in Stamitz, patient and explosive in Kancheli, and deeply expressive in Brahms. Elene Gogodze, meanwhile, brought the underappreciated voice of the viola into the spotlight, reminding us of its poetic capabilities.
By Ivan Nechaev
