Peninsula Symphony Simply Shines
By Keith Kreitman, contributor (http://artsopolis.com)
May 23, 2005 - There seems to have been a strange coincidence in recent years. Certain compositions have been making the rounds of local symphony orchestras.
For a few years, it was Rimsky-Korsakov's "Scheherazade." Then it was a run of Gustav Mahler's symphonies. Recently, it has been Beethoven's monumental last symphony, Symphony No. 9 in D minor, better known as the "Chorale Symphony."
Reviewing the Peninsula Symphony's effort at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center this past weekend wasn't high on my wish list. But, had I given this one a pass, I would have missed the best of all of them.
In brief, it was awesome.
The monumental work reasserted its claim upon the heavyweight championship of the symphonic world. And for the Peninsula Symphony Orchestra and its music director Mitchell Sardou Klein, it was arguably its best effort, enhanced by using the "Del Mar Edition" of the symphony, a real winner.
I can't say enough good about the San Jose Symphonic Choir, under director Leroy G. Kromm, which accompanied the orchestra in the stunning "Ode to Joy."
More than 100 singers lifted their voices in superb support. The four soloists - bass Kirk Eichelberger, tenor Chris Corley, mezzo soprano Wendy Hillhouse and soprano Aimee Puentes - were about as good as you can get.
Has there ever been a more powerful symphonic movement written than the driving second of this intricately structured work?
Yet in the opening "Fidelio" overture in this all-Beethoven program, although assistant conductor Geoffrey Gallegos displayed formidable conducting chops, the result was less than impressive. This is not one of Beethoven's more profound works. It calls heavily upon the French horn section - the nemesis of so many symphonic ensembles - and unfortunately, it didn't call back.
But the full orchestra, under Klein's strong leadership, was right in there with the accompaniment to the Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61, with soloist Jung-Min Amy Lee, a 22-year-old student at the Curtis Institute and winner of the 2004 Irving M. Klein International String Competition.
This composition has never gained entry to my list of the greatest of the violin concerti. I always wondered why, until I ran across the surprising fact that it was originally written as a piano concerto. His publisher being more in need of a violin concerto at that time, Beethoven rewrote it and gave the world a rather thin version of his talents.
As a result, except for the short, exquisitely lyrical second movement, it doesn't really explore the resources of the instrument. It seems more like one of those Bach compositions that can be played on many instruments.
Only the second movement offered Lee the opportunity to display her interpretive musicianship. But the overlong first movement and the catchy, upbeat third movement did confirm that this young lady has a great mastery of technique and a winning stage persona.
