09
Nov
2004
Quad City Symphony Orchestra Conductor Donald Schleicher promised us a “night of beauty, elegance, and gorgeous melody” this past Saturday, November 6, at the Adler Theatre. He, the Quad City Symphony, and guest oboist Robert Atherholt delivered just that at the symphony’s second classical series concert of the season.
The night began with the Unfinished Symphony by Franz Schubert. The first movement has three lyrical themes, which entwine through the piece. My favorite, a recurring sea of sound produced by the strings and winds, was broken by an ascending progression that swelled to an unexpected interlude of clarinet, flute, and oboe solos. The second movement, a smoother piece with sensitive dynamics, contrasted with the first.
Guest oboist Atherholt joined the orchestra for two pieces. As he took the stage, his walk and demeanor exuded pomposity, but when he began to play, he seemed to really feel the music – swaying and leaning toward the audience as the music dictated. As he played, his chipmunk-like puffed cheeks and wagging bowtie helped to negate the overly formal entrance. Regardless of his appearance, his performance in both pieces proved to be technically sound with an amazing clarity of tone and an impressive range. High notes usually make me cringe, but his tone and control allowed him to hit those notes with seeming ease.
A string ensemble accompanied Atherholt for a performance of Alessandro Marcello’s Concerto in D Minor for Oboe & Strings, a piece with three relatively short movements. The inclusion of a harpsichord for this piece gave it a genuine Baroque-period feel. The stately first movement contrasted delightfully with the melodic second, while the third was a rhythmic, almost whimsical movement. I even heard some toes tapping around me as the piece progressed.
Next was Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Concerto for Oboe & Strings. Vaughan Williams’ piece allowed Atherholt more freedom of expression, filled with solos and cadenzas (a solo the artist plays without accompaniment, allowing the soloist to dictate tempo and style). Many of the solos sounded to me like passages from a student’s exercise book, complete with progressions of arpeggios and scales. The five-note pentatonic scale emerged several times throughout the piece, throwing an Eastern sound into the music. Overall, I appreciated the chance to see Atherholt’s abilities in this piece, although I enjoyed Marcello’s more.
For the grand finale – Ravel’s Suite Number 2 from Daphnis et Chloé – Schleicher filled the stage with every available musician. I counted eight bass players, two harpists, and a full arsenal of percussionists for this piece. The composition began with a very close replica of the pleasant cacophony of nature. At the beginning, there was no identifiable melody, just a few bird-like sounds overflowing here and there in the midst of the soothing but chaotic background. Finally, the cellos and violas led the orchestra into a melody. Schleicher used every musical resource as he led the orchestra through a progression of dynamics to an overwhelming climax, which then de-crescendoed to almost nothing – a lone oboe and flute solo. Through the frantic, running, falling whirlwind to the over-the-top powerful end, this piece evoked a full repertoire of mental images. After the rousing conclusion, the audience jumped to its feet for the usual standing ovation. But the orchestra had one more piece up its sleeve, performing a soothing, rhythmic composition for the encore.
The night began with the Unfinished Symphony by Franz Schubert. The first movement has three lyrical themes, which entwine through the piece. My favorite, a recurring sea of sound produced by the strings and winds, was broken by an ascending progression that swelled to an unexpected interlude of clarinet, flute, and oboe solos. The second movement, a smoother piece with sensitive dynamics, contrasted with the first.
Guest oboist Atherholt joined the orchestra for two pieces. As he took the stage, his walk and demeanor exuded pomposity, but when he began to play, he seemed to really feel the music – swaying and leaning toward the audience as the music dictated. As he played, his chipmunk-like puffed cheeks and wagging bowtie helped to negate the overly formal entrance. Regardless of his appearance, his performance in both pieces proved to be technically sound with an amazing clarity of tone and an impressive range. High notes usually make me cringe, but his tone and control allowed him to hit those notes with seeming ease.
A string ensemble accompanied Atherholt for a performance of Alessandro Marcello’s Concerto in D Minor for Oboe & Strings, a piece with three relatively short movements. The inclusion of a harpsichord for this piece gave it a genuine Baroque-period feel. The stately first movement contrasted delightfully with the melodic second, while the third was a rhythmic, almost whimsical movement. I even heard some toes tapping around me as the piece progressed.
Next was Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Concerto for Oboe & Strings. Vaughan Williams’ piece allowed Atherholt more freedom of expression, filled with solos and cadenzas (a solo the artist plays without accompaniment, allowing the soloist to dictate tempo and style). Many of the solos sounded to me like passages from a student’s exercise book, complete with progressions of arpeggios and scales. The five-note pentatonic scale emerged several times throughout the piece, throwing an Eastern sound into the music. Overall, I appreciated the chance to see Atherholt’s abilities in this piece, although I enjoyed Marcello’s more.
For the grand finale – Ravel’s Suite Number 2 from Daphnis et Chloé – Schleicher filled the stage with every available musician. I counted eight bass players, two harpists, and a full arsenal of percussionists for this piece. The composition began with a very close replica of the pleasant cacophony of nature. At the beginning, there was no identifiable melody, just a few bird-like sounds overflowing here and there in the midst of the soothing but chaotic background. Finally, the cellos and violas led the orchestra into a melody. Schleicher used every musical resource as he led the orchestra through a progression of dynamics to an overwhelming climax, which then de-crescendoed to almost nothing – a lone oboe and flute solo. Through the frantic, running, falling whirlwind to the over-the-top powerful end, this piece evoked a full repertoire of mental images. After the rousing conclusion, the audience jumped to its feet for the usual standing ovation. But the orchestra had one more piece up its sleeve, performing a soothing, rhythmic composition for the encore.
