San Francisco Classical Voice

As for Amado, his published pedigree (assistant conductor, St. Louis Symphony; founder/conductor, New York's Sequitur ensemble; conducting engagements in the U.S. and Mexico; Juilliard and Indiana University degrees) had little chance to prove itself. There was no music here that would seriously challenge his artistic imagination or reveal his expressive range. The musicians, now routinely asked to submit conductor evaluations, flattered their podium guest with their performance.

To understand those who support classical music in Santa Clara Valley, think Sharks. When the team was introduced, there popped up no shortage of skeptics. But despite losses that initially far outrank wins, San Jose got fired up over its hockey players and now gives them support other “producers” can only envy. What San Joseans love as much as a winning team is knowing that their support is crucial to the players.

Therefore, at the Symphony, bassist Bill Everett won cheers and bravos, from audience and orchestra alike, for a less-than-note-perfect performance of a vanity piece — the composer was a virtuoso bass player — that much of the time was barely audible, while the polished Schubert, an opus of lasting significance, won only respectful applause. For Everett, this was more an athletic than artistic challenge, the home team hero against the odds. A piece that expects a contrabassist to ably negotiate the ‘rosin' register — the only one that can hope to cut through an orchestral accompaniment to the ear of the listener — is unreasonable on its face. Everett knows better than most that soaring into the stratosphere requires not only extra rosin (which he applied between movements) but increased virtuosity as well.

Haydn was the ultimate winner. His Sixth Symphony, typical of his early symphonies, is loaded with solo players. Concertmaster Robin Mayforth, cellist Peter Gelfand, violist Patty Whaley, flutist Maria Tamburrino and bassoonist Deborah Kramer each got moments to shine, in solos and duets. While one rarely encounters masterpieces among Mozart's early works, Haydn was already a mature and original composer when he began writing symphonies, as proven with this one, titled “Le Matin” by the composer's patron, the first of a set of three: morning, noon and night. The Schubert is really a string symphony, with no percussion and a small wind complement to fill up sonorities, plus a brief flute solo. One had the impression that the performance was only incidentally conducted; the essential character of it came from the musicians themselves.

Executive director Andrew Bales spoke from the stage to announce the 2004-2005 season, making the particular point that the orchestra, like Opera San José, would relocate to the restored “jewel box” California Theatre. The season will return guest conductors Patrick Flynn, Paul Polivnick and Mallory Thompson, veterans Sergiu Comissiona and William Boughton, and will introduce Lan Shui.