Vicki Paris Goodman
Culture Writer
While the Long Beach Symphony continues its search for a new music director, its Classics series season marches on in fine style with a line-up of guest conductors who have so far delighted audiences. Besides, speaking from years of orchestral experience, I can say with certainty that it’s good for the orchestra’s musicians to play to the beat of different batons. I learned from each and every one.
The orchestra’s March concert, led by the exuberant William Eddins and characterized by its exclusive focus on American Masterworks, ironically offered a program largely unknown to most concertgoers. As such, many of those in attendance had to trust that Eddins’s somewhat avant- garde selections would not disappoint. Fears allayed early on, LBSO’s concert-going faithful were, in fact, surprised at just how enjoyable unfamiliar music can be.
The concert began with the brief and boisterous “Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman #1″ by Joan Tower, an electrifying exhibition of brass, woodwinds and forceful percussion. Eddins displayed his moxie right from the start, with a willingness to go for broke, commanding fortissimo trumpets, trombones, timpani and bass drum. Wow!
But would Eddins contrast that boldness with sensitivity during the sure-to-come serene passages? Yes, he would, and did. A conductor who clearly makes the most of dynamic range, even in spite of what a composer may have intended, Eddins obviously has the musical knowledge and experience to successfully change it up. I loved what I heard.
Leonard Bernstein’s “Facsimile (Choreographic Essay for Orchestra)” — an unusual title, I thought— tells the story of a lonely young woman who meets a man, and then a second man, ultimately resulting in a quarrelsome triangle. The piece showcases all of the instruments in the orchestra, something Eddins appears to fancy in the pieces he selects. Swiftly changing meter characterized the piece (and kept the musicians’ rapt attention).
There were many masterfully performed solo parts by principal players, which always lends interest. And the piece’s story was easy to follow, with its initial sadness, yielding to the happy hope engendered by possibility, transitioning to the frantic quarrel sequence, and finally coming around full circle as it reconciles to the loneliness whence it began. An interesting piece, if not an unequivocal crowd-pleaser.
The one program offering mostly familiar to attendees was the “Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes” by the inimitable Aaron Copland. Everyone knows the iconic “Hoe Down,” and I think most would also recognize “Buckaroo Holiday.”
Copland’s “Rodeo” is the symphonic equivalent of Americana. Yet another spectacle of brass and percussion, it naturally seems to elicit our devotion. The clip-clop of horse’s hooves amid undeniably American themes just makes Copland so good, so simple, so down-to-earth. “Corral Nocturne” leads seamlessly into “Saturday Night Waltz,” one of my personal favorites. “Rodeo” is timeless. The orchestra performed the piece splendidly.
The final piece of the evening was the little-known “Concerto in F for Piano and Orchestra” by George Gershwin. Gershwin wrote a concerto? I’d had no idea.
The piece begins with exciting sequential percussion solos, one instrument after another, leading into the lone piano’s entrance as the orchestra is at rest.
Guest-soloist pianist Ian Parker gave a stunning and inspired performance of the piece in three movements, much of which turns out to be reminiscent of themes from An American in Paris. So the unfamiliar concerto is quite familiar, after all, with its striking and quintessential Gershwin intervals, chords and other recognizable qualities.
After taking his curtain calls to a near unanimous standing ovation, Parker sat down at the piano once again for a much appreciated encore. Of course, he played “Rhapsody in Blue.” What else would he play?
It was a wonderful evening at the symphony.
The Long Beach Symphony Orchestra performs its Classics Series concerts at the Long Beach Terrace Theater, 300 E. Ocean Blvd. Tickets for Classics Series concerts range from $20 to $88. For tickets and concert information, for both Classics and Pops! Series concerts, visit lbso.org .
