San Francisco Classical Voice

SYMPHONY REVIEW

A Walk On the Not-So-Wild Side

November 26, 2002

Alban Gerhardt

Edward Cumming

By John Lutterman

In view of the financial difficulties American orchestras have been experiencing in recent years, it was good to see an enthusiastic, healthy sized audience in attendance at a mid-week concert of the Marin Symphony. The orchestra management seems to be aware of the tastes of the community that they serve and to be disposed to meet their desires with competent, professional caliber performances of accessible programming. The result was a genial, if rather unexciting evening's entertainment.

The first work, Stephen Montague's From the White Edge of Phrygia, was composed in 1984 to fulfill a commission from the Sadler Wells Royal Ballet. It was originally a chamber work, the version performed on Tuesday being a re-scoring for full orchestra. I can imagine that this could be quite successful as background music for a ballet, but as a concert work it leaves much to be desired. The composer describes his style as "post-minimalist" and points to a "definite feeling of growth, climax, and conclusion, elements not usually associated with minimalist music." The work is pleasant enough, presenting a series of static blocks of sound. This might be thought minimalist in Piet Mondrian's sense, but Mondrian is interesting because he manages to create an architectural structure that challenges conventional perceptions of art in a way that is sadly missing in Montague's work.

From the White Edge did give a "feeling of growth, climax, and conclusion," but in a predictable manner. The orchestration was clever and effective, relying on sounds that have become stock in trade for Hollywood composers. Sometimes it evoked textures familiar from early twentieth-century masterworks, but there is a world of difference between alluding to Stravinsky or Bernard Herrmann for dramatic purposes and using one of their techniques as a cliché. Like white zinfandel, wine for people who don't really like wine, From the White Edge of Phrygia is new music for people who don't really like new music. In both cases, it is hard to avoid the feeling of valuable resources being wasted.

On the lighter side

Cellist Alban Gerhardt took the stage as soloist in the second work, Tchaikovsky's Rococo Variations. This is something of an oddity in the concerto literature and is perhaps best understood as an early example of neoclassicism. Tchaikovsky claimed that he had taken Mozart as a model, and there is a clear attempt to capture an eighteenth-century clarity of texture and phrase structure. It is a light work, and an effective performance really depends on an operatic virtuosity and stage presence on the part of the soloist.

Gerhardt certainly has a virtuoso's command of his instrument, and throws himself into his performance with an admirable sense of commitment, but his dramatic range seems limited to one or two characters. Well prepared for the technical challenges that the work presents, he was often sadly out of tune in the less-demanding passages, and his sound, though carefully calculated to project well, was monochromatic.

This is a deceptively difficult orchestral score and is often sadly under-rehearsed. European orchestras, which usually do double duty in the opera pit, are much better equipped to deal with the kind of challenges that Tchaikovsky presents. American orchestras have often not had the experience of following the whims of a diva, and are slow to respond to the quicksilver changes of direction that a melodramatic work like this requires. Although the somewhat laid-back style of the conductor, Edward Cumming, must be held at least partially responsible, the Marin Symphony's performance on Tuesday was rather sluggish and there were more ragged spots than should be expected of a group of this caliber.

Notable prowess

Gerhardt's spirited romp through the finale did bring an enthusiastic response from the audience. His encore was a transcription of Paganini's "Moses" Variations. While he has clearly wrestled diligently with this showpiece's technical obstacles, his lack of attention to the wit and humor necessary to pull it off made sitting through yet another set of variations almost unbearable. That said, this is a formidably difficult piece on the violin and even more of a challenge on the cello, and Gerhardt's technical achievement is truly impressive.

Dvorák's Eighth Symphony was a welcome relief after so much lightweight music. The orchestra finally seemed really to come alive. There were some small problems with ensemble at the beginning, and the woodwinds could stand to pay a bit more attention to intonation, but this was generally a very convincing, professional-caliber performance. While I would have preferred a more energetic approach from Cumming, the pacing was well calculated and there was a good sense of dramatic sweep. The solos, particularly those in the second movement, were beautifully rendered; special kudos should go to the concertmaster, horns and clarinets. Balance was exceptionally good, and there were many moments when it was a pleasure to savor those sounds that can only be experienced in a carefully prepared live orchestral performance.