Conductor Jason Tramm gets all dramatic at the podium
By Charles Layton
“Summer Stars,” Ocean Grove’s superb annual series of classical music programs, ended its season with a bang at the Great Auditorium Thursday night. It featured performances by resident organist Gordon Turk and pianist Hugh Sung, who is a frequent visitor from Philadelphia, where he teaches at the Curtis Institute. They were backed by an excellent orchestra conducted by the flamboyant Jason Tramm, now in his fourth season as the Camp Meeting Association’s director of music ministries.
Most Grovers know what a treasure we have in Turk, who opened the program with Handel’s Concerto for Organ and Orchestra No. 4 in F Major. But if you haven’t yet heard Sung’s piano you’re really missing out. He followed Turk’s performance with Beethoven’s Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 5 in E-flat Major, which was filled with thrilling moments.
Sung made his debut with the Philadelphia Orchestra at the age of 11. Now, at 42, he plays with the confidence of a seasoned virtuoso. He seemed to love the showy dynamics of the Beethoven concerto. At intermission I got a chance to chat with him briefly, so I told him I’d noticed how much fun he seemed to be having with the way Beethoven’s music softens and explodes, softens and explodes. “Oh yes,” he said, “that’s my chance to make jokes.” Right. That’s a good description of his approach.
The Beethoven piece also suited Tramm’s dramatic style at the podium. In fact, Tramm reminds me a little bit of Beethoven. For some reason I became particularly fascinated by the expressiveness of his left hand, as graceful as a hula dancer’s.
It was the orchestra’s turn to shine on the third and concluding number, Saint-Saens’ Symphony No. 3 in C Minor. This work has been called “the organ symphony,” although the pipe organ only plays in two of the four sections. There’s a bit of piano as well (which was played by Sung), but mainly it’s a piece for the ensemble. Like Beethoven’s music, it tends to plunge up and down very nicely.
How incredible that such fine musicians as these make their way to little Ocean Grove every summer to entertain us. Sung has played in Carnegie Hall, the Ravinia Festival, Wigmore Hall in London — all over the world, really. Turk, of course, has played in many of the famous halls and churches of America and Europe. These guys are good enough for any venue on earth, and yet we get to hear them here, just a five minute stroll from my front door, and for just 15 bucks a ticket. And afterwards, you can hustle over to Days for ice cream. How much better could life possibly be?
I heartily agree with you, Charles.
I have heard many wonderful performances in the auditorium this season, but this one was by far the most thrilling. Mr. Sung’s playing was so sublimely beautiful, I was transported to another place. It seemed to me that Mr. Sung not only played every key on that piano, but some additional ones as well…
The Saint Saens movements were powerfully evocative. Kudos to Jason Tramm for his superb conducting.
It was indeed passionate (hate the word “flamboyant,” Charles, it has negative connotations) but so nuanced that all instrumentalists could be discerned. By the time Gordon struck those first chords in the final movement, I went into orbit!
How richly blessed we are in these fractious times to have access to so much beauty!
Note to readers: Please disregard any negative connotations you may find in the word “flamboyant.”