![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
concert review: Symphony Silicon Valley
Mar. 16th, 2008 05:07 pmYou've got to like Tony Clements, SSV's tuba-tooter. Not only does he have the gumption to come out in front of the orchestra and perform that challenging work, Vaughan Williams's Concerto for Bass Tuba & Orchestra, for the special occasion he wears a bright red puffy shirt on stage. And not only does he wear a red shirt, he plays for an encore Debussy's Syrinx, an ethereal piece for unaccompanied flute. On the tuba. And not only does he play Syrinx on the tuba, he tells us a story of how he once played it for the famed flutist Jean-Pierre Rampal. Who winced.
Given all that charm, I feel churlish in reporting that I was wincing myself at Clements' intonation during the concerto, which seemed to be from a slightly different planet than the one the orchestra was using. Such are the trials of a reviewer. But it was fun to hear them having a go at this piece. (Vaughan Williams also wrote a concerto for mouth organ, a.k.a. harmonica. Maybe that sometime?)
Sometimes when I'm feeling infirm or otherwise physically malfunctional, a concert will serve to soothe and comfort the ills of the flesh. Not this time. The suite from Richard Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier, though mostly well-rendered, left me feeling very restless. His Till Eulenspiegel received a nicely polished performance - great work from the horns - but was moving more in parts than as a whole.
Copland's Appalachian Spring suite, on the other hand, was not polished at all - this was a rough, devil-may-care rendition - but this didn't interfere with the artistic communication, which was wonderfully evocative. With my eyes closed, the orchestra sounded as if they were sitting barefoot in a Kentucky mountain cabin. This is not a criticism; I liked it this way.
Sara Jobin conducted, and if all this is her doing she has competence but needs more seasoning.
We got the announcement of the solo singers in Beethoven's Ninth coming up in two weeks. The baritone (O Freunde, nicht diese Töne!) is San Jose Opera's Scott Bearden. This will be worth hearing.
Given all that charm, I feel churlish in reporting that I was wincing myself at Clements' intonation during the concerto, which seemed to be from a slightly different planet than the one the orchestra was using. Such are the trials of a reviewer. But it was fun to hear them having a go at this piece. (Vaughan Williams also wrote a concerto for mouth organ, a.k.a. harmonica. Maybe that sometime?)
Sometimes when I'm feeling infirm or otherwise physically malfunctional, a concert will serve to soothe and comfort the ills of the flesh. Not this time. The suite from Richard Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier, though mostly well-rendered, left me feeling very restless. His Till Eulenspiegel received a nicely polished performance - great work from the horns - but was moving more in parts than as a whole.
Copland's Appalachian Spring suite, on the other hand, was not polished at all - this was a rough, devil-may-care rendition - but this didn't interfere with the artistic communication, which was wonderfully evocative. With my eyes closed, the orchestra sounded as if they were sitting barefoot in a Kentucky mountain cabin. This is not a criticism; I liked it this way.
Sara Jobin conducted, and if all this is her doing she has competence but needs more seasoning.
We got the announcement of the solo singers in Beethoven's Ninth coming up in two weeks. The baritone (O Freunde, nicht diese Töne!) is San Jose Opera's Scott Bearden. This will be worth hearing.
