Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, March 21, 1995 TAG: 9504070008
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SETH WILLIAMSON SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Even though the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra's money isn't flowing the way it once did - a condition some orchestras handle by programming fluffy pops music - the RSO played two substantial works Monday night. Music Director Bond and her players at the Roanoke Civic Center tackled the intense Symphony No. 44 in E Minor of Franz Josef Haydn and the colossal "Great" C Major Symphony of Franz Schubert. Add to this the world premiere of Ellen Rowe's orchestration of "For Dizzy" by Marian McPartland, and it was a full night.
The concert began a few minutes late because of parking lot pandemonium occasioned by a double bill with the Harlem Globetrotters, which caused a few cello and double-bass players to arrive late. It lasted more than a half-hour longer than scheduled as well.
The RSO gave a terse and forceful reading of Haydn's Symphony No. 44, known as the "Trauer" or "Mourning" symphony because of the composer's wish that the lovely E-major slow movement be played at his funeral.
Overall it was a strong and emotional performance that culminated in an intense finale that evoked instant applause. The flowing triplets that surge under the third movement's beautiful melody on muted strings didn't flow all that smoothly at moments, but the final effect was moving. The emotional impact was multiplied by the fact that the music didn't finally resolve to a major key, as do most of Haydn's later symphonies.
McPartland, star of public radio's long-running "Piano Jazz" program, was the symphony's guest artist of the night with her piano trio. McPartland turned in a well received set of ballads and gently swinging jazz standards, including pops arrangements and a set with trio alone.
Following a Gershwin medley was the world premiere of "For Dizzy," her tribute to the late jazz trumpet legend Dizzy Gillespie. The piece remained in a wistful, nostalgic groove from beginning to end and garnered respectable applause. A swinging version of Cole Porter's "From This Moment On" got a standing ovation. Especially fine was Jerome Kern's "All the Things You Are," which began and ended with a clever statement of the tune in Bachian counterpoint.
McPartland has aged well as a pianist. Though she lacks some of the technique that can be heard on her recordings from the late '40s and early '50s, she has compensated with an added depth of feeling in her ballads, which are now her strong point.
The Schubert Symphony No. 9, one of the great landmarks of the 19th-century symphony and worthy in every way to be compared with the greatest of Beethoven's, began flawlessly with the famous horn fanfare.
It was a fine performance from the outset to nearly the end of the immense coda in the final movement, at which point I had to leave with a deadline impending. Though I found myself wishing for a bigger, fuller sound at certain moments - such as in the flowing major-key sections of the second movement that alternate with the march-like main theme - the Roanoke Symphony acquitted itself honorably in this great symphony. Few cities the size of Roanoke can boast an orchestra that can do Schubert like this.
by CNB