Cleveland Orchestra Magic @ Severance Hall 1/14/10

Don Juan is known as a fabled seducer, and if the musical portrait by Richard Strauss as played by the Cleveland Orchestra in last weekend's concerts is anywhere near accurate, it’s easy to see why he earned this reputation. Do you recall the great movie ‘Tom Jones’ in which Tom is played by the great and then-gorgeous Albert Finney? In the rambunctious dinner scene, when he’s trying to seduce a woman previously unknown to him (but who will eventually prove to be his mother) Tom is feisty and frolicsome, tender and robust, brash and enticing with the most wicked twinkle in his eye. Wow! Tom and Juan have a lot in common, if one believes this musical portrait. With no trouble at all, either gentleman could seduce a stone without really trying.

Music Director Franz Welser-Möst led a crackling version that was all these things, plus probably some that went right by me. It was magical—and if they ever make a CD of the orchestra’s greatest hits, this should certainly have pride of place.

The musicians set a high standard for the rest of the concert, but there was apparently no difficulty in maintaining that high level. Violinist Leila Josefowicz plays with intelligence and passion; both qualities were in evidence during her performance of the relatively new Violin Concerto: Concentric Paths by the young British composer Thomas Adès, who is actually six years older than she is.

His music is very enticing; although complicated, it is yet very listenable. Although it might take more than one or two hearings of this concerto before one could walk out humming any of the main tunes, the point is that there are tunes to hum. They’re just tricky ones, that’s all. The three movements are titled Rings, Paths and Rounds with the first one being a perpetuo mobile, having an almost twittering effect in the higher ranges of notes. Paths, on the other hand, was more leisurely, beginning with sharp chords that were purposely not together, moving on to violinistic lyricism over first, an abundance of percussion, then a seige of low brass. Fascinating contrasts.

The final movement Rounds began with a rhythmic and frolicsome introduction – sort of a ‘come out and play’ call to the solo violin from the orchestra. When beckoned so winsomely, how could she refuse? Piccolo player Mary Kay Fink had several dual encounters with the solo violin that were sheer charm.

Once Johannes Brahms figured out how to write a symphony, he wasted little time in producing his second such score. In the sunny key of D major, it is happy, tranquil Brahms. As opposed to the rambunctious, impetuous and youthful Don Juan heard earlier, this is more a tribute to a settled down, long-lived love. The engaging dialogues between the horns and strings readily demonstrate why this work is referred to as the composer’s ‘pastoral’ symphony.

The second movement adagio non troppo is almost a mini-horn concerto, so prominent are the lovely and lush melodies performed here so exquisitely by principal horn Richard King. The third movement featured principal oboe Frank Rosenwein in another beautiful Brahms melody, before concluding with a busy, yet triumphant full orchestra. Thursday evening’s performance drew an immediate standing ovation from the full house, along with repeated cheers, whistles and shouts of Bravo!

For information about upcoming concerts, visit the website: http://www.clevelandorchestra.com or call the ticket office at 216.231.1111.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Kelly Ferjutz, who writes: My most recently published book is Ardenwycke Unveiled (e-book and trade paper). Cerridwen has another contemporary romance from me, But Not For Love, currently available only as an e-book, but perhaps will be in print next year. I hope to soon get around to completing some of the 30+ incomplete books in my computer!

By the way, Cerridwen has also accepted two of my short stories in their Scintillating Samples (complimentary reads) area: Song of the Swan and Unexpected Comfort. I love photography as well, as you can see here. Occasionally I teach writing workshops and sometimes do editing or ghostwriting on a free-lance basis. But over and above everything else, there's always been the writing. I can't imagine my life without it.