Alexander Sitkovetsky
It was a 20th-century international team vs. Beethoven in the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra’s March (non-Madness) concert on Friday, March 18 the Capitol Theater.
The first half of the program offered Irish, Swedish and American works. Northern Irish pianist and composer Joan Trimble was represented in a three-movement Suite for String Orchestra. The Irish shaping of its material was fairly plain, but the resulting music itself was rather simplistic and forgettable. (Well, happy St. Patrick’s Day anyway.)
Many pegs higher was Lars Erik Larsson (1908-1986), one of Sweden’s leading composers of the last century, still popular at home and internationally known through recordings. His Pastoral Suite, op. 19, is a representative work, its three movements full of lively ideas and colorful scoring. The WCO’s wind players sounded just a bit rough at times, but everyone was having fun.
And then there was Samuel Barber’s Violin Concerto, op. 14. Though regarded by commentators as one of the outstanding works of its kind in the last century, it is not heard so regularly as others of its type. Its flashy finale has been pronounced out of sync with its movingly lyrical first two movements, in what is too easily labeled “post-Romantic” style. But visiting Russian-born Alexander Sitkovetsky soloist made an unimpeachable case for the full concerto’s integrity. He handled the solo part with dashing brilliance as well as warmth. It’s always impressive to see a soloist who is really involved in the orchestral role as well his own — an earnest musician committed to the total work he was performing.
As an encore Sitkovetky played a Bach Sarabande for unaccompanied violin, bringing to it remarkably nuanced sensitivity.
After the intermission came Beethoven’s Fourth Symphony. Maestro Andrew Sewell has been working his way through Beethoven’s symphonies, so the Fourth was certainly due its turn. Though its music is certainly unbuttoned Beethoven, it lacks the precedent-shattering power or thrust of the Third and Fifth, its nearest neighbors. It struck me that this symphony is really a kind of rowdy retro-Haydn. Whether Sewell, a master of Haydn’s symphonies, had this sense of the work, I’m not sure. But he led a lively performance, full of nicely shaped details, and carried out with particular gusto by his players.
The concert was preceded by a loving tribute from orchestra members to recently deceased principle flute player, Robin Fellows.
