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concert review: Symphony Silicon Valley
Dec. 7th, 2008 05:49 pmMy last symphony concert of the month, as I don't do the Christmas Festive concerts. But a good one to end the calendar year with.
Everybody does Tchaikovsky's Fourth nowadays. It used to be the Pathétique, but now it's the Fourth. Conductor Paul Polivnick didn't try to sweep the audience off its feet with epic grandeur; this was more "a simple tale, plainly told." But very loudly in the outer movements. The California Theatre's bright acoustics fairly blast the sound when the orchestra is really trying.
Slightly idiosyncratic but reliable work from the horns, which get the opening of the big motto theme. Charming sound from the wind chorus in the lightly bright third movement, and a delightful shiver from the clarinet in its first movement theme's run of 32d notes. Full heft from the violins and violas, even when playing pizzicato, as they do for the entire third movement. The only section that wasn't up for the course was the cellos, who wobbled badly when handed a melody.
That clarinetist was a guest, I guess, as regular principal clarinetist Michael Corner was fully occupied as soloist in Mozart's concerto, in a gentle, smooth, unassuming performance. Also on the program, one of von Suppé's other overtures, not the two that always turn up at pops concerts. This one, Pique Dame, begins solemnly, like Sullivan in a serious mood, and only later turns into patented Suppé froth. Very crisp, clear performance.
Everybody does Tchaikovsky's Fourth nowadays. It used to be the Pathétique, but now it's the Fourth. Conductor Paul Polivnick didn't try to sweep the audience off its feet with epic grandeur; this was more "a simple tale, plainly told." But very loudly in the outer movements. The California Theatre's bright acoustics fairly blast the sound when the orchestra is really trying.
Slightly idiosyncratic but reliable work from the horns, which get the opening of the big motto theme. Charming sound from the wind chorus in the lightly bright third movement, and a delightful shiver from the clarinet in its first movement theme's run of 32d notes. Full heft from the violins and violas, even when playing pizzicato, as they do for the entire third movement. The only section that wasn't up for the course was the cellos, who wobbled badly when handed a melody.
That clarinetist was a guest, I guess, as regular principal clarinetist Michael Corner was fully occupied as soloist in Mozart's concerto, in a gentle, smooth, unassuming performance. Also on the program, one of von Suppé's other overtures, not the two that always turn up at pops concerts. This one, Pique Dame, begins solemnly, like Sullivan in a serious mood, and only later turns into patented Suppé froth. Very crisp, clear performance.
