THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 28, 1996 TAG: 9604280053
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Music Review
SOURCE: BY LEE TEPLY, SPECIAL TO THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
LENGTH: Medium: 56 lines
Guest conductor Paul Polivnick led the Virginia Symphony on Friday evening at Chrysler Hall in a pair of 19th-century favorites and in a new composition whose musical language was also quite familiar.
The first movement of Peter Ware's ``Ancient Evenings'' (1993) had a five-part form that was easy to follow, and used traditional chords, colored by moderate amounts of dissonance. Influences of at least two composers from earlier in this century were recognizable. ``Taps'' and the theme of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony were effectively quoted, in the manner of Charles Ives, to set the scene of the funeral described by the music. Bela Bartok's approaches to structure and linear writing were also evident.
The orchestra played the piece's two contrapuntal sections clearly. Wind players handled their several solos nicely, with principal trumpeter Stephen Carlson's performance standing out. Ware's interesting rhythms were sharpened by the percussion section. But although the piece was accurately played, the musicians did not seem to have enough emotional commitment to the music to tell its story.
From Pamela Frank's first solos in the Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1, her considerable strengths and a potential weakness were evident. Her impeccable intonation and full, warm tone set aside any question of her technical ability. Her opening phrases were shaped with great care, making a strong musical statement.
Throughout the concerto, this attention to detail gave added expression to an already dramatic work. But, as the concerto's opening suggested, it could be a dangerous approach to take, particularly in the meditative second movement, where, because of the extremely slow tempo, the border between dreamy ecstasy and sleepy pleasantry was hard to define. Aroused by a burst of energy, as from a cup of strong coffee, the concerto's finale was driven to a dazzling conclusion.
Polivnick led the orchestra through a solid performance of Schubert's ``Great'' Ninth Symphony. Because its movements are long, the choice of tempo is critical to their success. Tempos on the fast side were good but, particularly in the first two movements, there was little rubato at cadences, little recognition of important structural events. By the third movement, a more natural shaping of phrases took place, allowing the listener to breathe mentally between ideas.
Sherie Lake Aguirre's fine oboe solos in the second movement led a nice dialogue among wind players. The strings continued to play with precision. On several occasions, however, their melodies were completely obscured by the overly powerful trombone section. Schubert, the supreme melodist, became a composer of bass lines. With nothing above them, they were like the emperor without clothes. by CNB