WITH BEETHOVEN, RSO MUST LIVE UP TO ITS OWN SUCCESS

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, January 27, 1993                   TAG: 9301270129
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: SETH WILLIAMSON SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium
WITH BEETHOVEN, RSO MUST LIVE UP TO ITS OWN SUCCESS
It was wall-to-wall Beethoven on Monday night from the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra. Two happy symphonies, both written when the composer was miserable, plus the overture to "The Creatures of Prometheus," rounded out a somewhat short program.
The RSO sounded good, but not great, in performances that at moments lacked the tautness and edge and headlong propulsive quality that have characterized this ensemble's previous encounters with Beethoven.
On the other hand, Victoria Bond's interpretation of the Symphony No. 2 in D displayed a maturity and depth of understanding, a confidence and security that are the fruit of long and thoughtful contact with the music. Paired with "Prometheus" in the first half was the Symphony No. 8 in F.
Bond announced before the music began that the performance and the rest of the season were dedicated to the memory of the symphony's long-time patron Marian Via.
Monday night's edition of the RSO was somewhat beefier than Beethoven would have been accustomed to, with a bigger complement of lower strings and horns.
The overture to the ballet "The Creatures of Prometheus" sounded great. The solemn opening and the airy lightness of the main section were right on target. An exciting romp through the coda brought the piece to a close.
The genial Symphony No. 8 in F was written at a stressful period when Beethoven was angry with a brother who was living without benefit of marriage to his housekeeper. It is a playful salute to tradition that belies the circumstances of its composition.
There were moments during this performance when almost everything was there: intonation, balance, ensemble, intensity, unity of purpose. From many orchestras of this caliber it would have been considered a fine performance. But the crackling energy of earlier RSO Beethoven performances was too often absent Monday night. There were sloppy violin entrances in the final movement.
The Symphony No. 2 in D was another story. This sunny work was composed when Beethoven was deeply depressed over symptoms that he knew were leading to the loss of his hearing. There was much to admire in Bond's thoughtful, fresh interpretation.
The first movement, after its slow and spacious introduction, was forceful and direct. The nervous energy of the Allegro con brio section of this movement was right on target and recalled the finest previous RSO/Beethoven performances. The movement is filled with what the composer intended as exaggerated gestures, and Bond and her players captured all of the high-strung humor.
The lyrical second movement was tuneful and pleasing. The third movement, which was the first instance of a Beethovenian symphonic scherzo, has all of the humor that the name (which means "joke") implies. The eccentric loud-soft dynamic contrasts seem to have been intended by Beethoven to throw a wrench into the otherwise smooth phrasing patterns, and Bond milked the humor for all it was worth.
The final movement was excellent, with the same raucous good spirits and rollicking humor that puzzled the symphony's initial critics. Again, it seemed that the RSO was just short of the impetuous momentum and intensity of its best previous Beethoven performances, but Bond's insight and sympathy for the music plus her players' enthusiasm still made it a fine experience.

Seth Williamson produces feature news stories and a classical music program on public radio station WVTF (89.1 FM) in Roanoke.

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB