LSO Review of March 05, 2005 Concert

Three diverse pieces from the Romantic, Classic, and early 20th Century periods, provided many opportunities for the Longmont Symphony Orchestra to shine under Music Director Robert Olson this past Saturday evening.

The concert opened with Franz Lizst’s 1844 Symphonic Poem, “Les Preludes.” After some tentative playing early on—nerves, perhaps?—the orchestra settled down and the cellos, second violins, and horn section all took advantage of opportunities to sing in the first half of the piece. Turbulent chromatic passages in the strings and woodwinds then introduced a stormy episode that bears a resemblance to Wagner’s “Flying Dutchman” Overture, composed only four years earlier. (Lizst was an admirer and early champion of Wagner, who returned the favor by bedding and eventually, two children later, wedding Lizst’s daughter, Cosima.) After an additional pastoral episode, Maestro Olson and the LSO built to the cascading violin scales and big climax that conclude the piece. Overall, the orchestral balance was excellent, the brass and percussion full, but never overpowering.

Olson and a smaller LSO next performed Mozart’s “Sinfonia Concertante” in E-flat major. Essentially a three-movement concerto for woodwind quartet and chamber orchestra, this unusual piece was written to showcase several virtuoso players Mozart met while on a concert tour to Paris in 1779. Under Olson, the four LSO soloists (Kay Lloyd, flute; Margaret Davis, oboe; Jonathan Gresl, bassoon; and Christopher Herr, horn) negotiated the considerable technical difficulties well, though I wished for a bit fuller tone from the flute, oboe, and particularly the bassoon, whose execution of Mozart’s tricky passage work was often overshadowed by the other instruments.

After the intermission, Maestro Olson and the full LSO returned to perform Ottorino Respighi’s “Pines of Rome,” a spectacular showpiece for large orchestra first performed in 1924. Each of the four movements depicts a scene in or near Rome at which pine trees form the backdrop. The opening movement, “Pines of the Villa Borghese,“ is a dazzling splash of sun-drenched orchestral color that evokes crowds of children at play. Brilliant arpeggios and trills in the upper ranges of the orchestra lead into difficult, high horn and trumpet flourishes, well played by the LSO brass. Suddenly, the orchestral fireworks subsided, and we were at “The Pines near a Catacomb.” Low strings and horns painted a ghostly scene in subdued colors, over which a Gregorian chant theme was repeated. The mood brightened temporarily, and an offstage trumpet, played by Cami Kidwell-Dodge, sang a lovely aria. The persistent chant returned and grew to a loud restatement of the trumpet theme by the trombones, who could have projected over the orchestra a bit more. A quiet arpeggio by the piano shifted the mood, and we found ourselves at night in “The Pines of the Janiculum.” This magical nocturne includes an extended clarinet solo, nicely played by Brian Collins. Once again, the cello section took advantage of the opportunity to sing, and alert playing by the upper strings, woodwinds, harp, and celeste mirrored Olson’s expressive conducting. At the end of this movement, Maestro Olson dropped the orchestra and harp to a breathless whisper, over which a nightingale began to sing. Unfortunately, the nightingale recording was somewhat loud, and the effect not as magical as it should be. The final movement, “The Pines of the Appian Way ,” is a sustained orchestral crescendo. It depicts Roman legions marching out of the mists into brilliant morning sunshine as they victoriously ascend the Capitoline Hill. Olson built the LSO to a glorious climax, unleashing the full orchestra plus organ and six extra brass in the balcony. The LSO truly rose to the occasion. The sound was big, but not forced, and the brass remained nicely in tune throughout. Maestro Olson and the orchestra responded to the audience’s standing ovation by repeating the last half of this impressive movement.

Maestro Olson has built a responsive, well-trained community orchestra of which he, the musicians, and the city of Longmont can all be proud

(Mike Smith works at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder and serves on the board of the Colorado MahlerFest. He has two degrees in music and a degree in mathematics.)

“Longmont Symphony shines in diverse program” March 05, 2005 by Mike Smith Special to the Times-Call Three diverse pieces from the Romantic, Classic, and early 20th Century periods, provided many opportunities for the Longmont Symphony Orchestra to shine under Music Director Robert Olson this past Saturday evening. The concert opened with Franz Lizst’s 1844 Symphonic Poem, “Les Preludes.” After some tentative playing early on—nerves, perhaps?—the orchestra settled down and the cellos, second violins, and horn section all took advantage of opportunities to sing in the first half of the piece. Turbulent chromatic passages in the strings and woodwinds then introduced a stormy episode that bears a resemblance to Wagner’s “Flying Dutchman” Overture, composed only four years earlier. (Lizst was an admirer and early champion of Wagner, who returned the favor by bedding and eventually, two children later, wedding Lizst’s daughter, Cosima.) After an additional pastoral episode, Maestro Olson and the LSO built to the cascading violin scales and big climax that conclude the piece. Overall, the orchestral balance was excellent, the brass and percussion full, but never overpowering. Olson and a smaller LSO next performed Mozart’s “Sinfonia Concertante” in E-flat major. Essentially a three-movement concerto for woodwind quartet and chamber orchestra, this unusual piece was written to showcase several virtuoso players Mozart met while on a concert tour to Paris in 1779. Under Olson, the four LSO soloists (Kay Lloyd, flute; Margaret Davis, oboe; Jonathan Gresl, bassoon; and Christopher Herr, horn) negotiated the considerable technical difficulties well, though I wished for a bit fuller tone from the flute, oboe, and particularly the bassoon, whose execution of Mozart’s tricky passage work was often overshadowed by the other instruments. After the intermission, Maestro Olson and the full LSO returned to perform Ottorino Respighi’s “Pines of Rome,” a spectacular showpiece for large orchestra first performed in 1924. Each of the four movements depicts a scene in or near Rome at which pine trees form the backdrop. The opening movement, “Pines of the Villa Borghese,“ is a dazzling splash of sun-drenched orchestral color that evokes crowds of children at play. Brilliant arpeggios and trills in the upper ranges of the orchestra lead into difficult, high horn and trumpet flourishes, well played by the LSO brass. Suddenly, the orchestral fireworks subsided, and we were at “The Pines near a Catacomb.” Low strings and horns painted a ghostly scene in subdued colors, over which a Gregorian chant theme was repeated. The mood brightened temporarily, and an offstage trumpet, played by Cami Kidwell-Dodge, sang a lovely aria. The persistent chant returned and grew to a loud restatement of the trumpet theme by the trombones, who could have projected over the orchestra a bit more. A quiet arpeggio by the piano shifted the mood, and we found ourselves at night in “The Pines of the Janiculum.” This magical nocturne includes an extended clarinet solo, nicely played by Brian Collins. Once again, the cello section took advantage of the opportunity to sing, and alert playing by the upper strings, woodwinds, harp, and celeste mirrored Olson’s expressive conducting. At the end of this movement, Maestro Olson dropped the orchestra and harp to a breathless whisper, over which a nightingale began to sing. Unfortunately, the nightingale recording was somewhat loud, and the effect not as magical as it should be. The final movement, “The Pines of the Appian Way ,” is a sustained orchestral crescendo. It depicts Roman legions marching out of the mists into brilliant morning sunshine as they victoriously ascend the Capitoline Hill. Olson built the LSO to a glorious climax, unleashing the full orchestra plus organ and six extra brass in the balcony. The LSO truly rose to the occasion. The sound was big, but not forced, and the brass remained nicely in tune throughout. Maestro Olson and the orchestra responded to the audience’s standing ovation by repeating the last half of this impressive movement. Maestro Olson has built a responsive, well-trained community orchestra of which he, the musicians, and the city of Longmont can all be proud (Mike Smith works at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder and serves on the board of the Colorado MahlerFest. He has two degrees in music and a degree in mathematics.)