THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, May 25, 1996 TAG: 9605250568
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Music review
SOURCE: BY PAUL SAYEGH, SPECIAL TO THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
LENGTH: 46 lines
The final Virginia Symphony concert found the orchestra in excellent shape on Friday night at Norfolk's Chrysler Hall. Music Director JoAnn Falletta led a challenging program that demonstrated how far this orchestra has traveled under her leadership.
This was clearly evident in the concluding work, Richard Strauss' epic tone poem ``Ein Heldenleben.'' This is a piece that shows off the resources of the modern symphony orchestra, and Falletta and her musicians gave it a strong performance. The sound of the orchestra was rich and lustrous, particularly in the love music. At times, the strings were overpowered by the sheer mass of sound that Strauss demands, yet they avoided forcing. Many passages benefited from the lush tone the strings were able to produce.
Concertmaster Vahn Armstrong performed the long and difficult solo violin part in the Strauss. His tone was both delicate and coy, matching the musical portrayal of the composer's wife.
The horns have some of the most thrilling music in ``Ein Heldenleben,'' and on this occasion, the Virginia Symphony's horn section, augmented by that of the Richmond Symphony, sounded secure and tireless.
Falletta's interpretation downplayed the bombastic elements in the piece, emphasizing its gorgeous orchestral colors, as well as its humor. The final pages are among the most poetic in music, and conductor and orchestra achieved this quality with much success.
Earlier in the program, John Browning made a welcome return to the Virginia Symphony to perform one of his specialties, the ``Piano Concerto'' by Samuel Barber. Browning gave a complete demonstration of the pianist's art, from the concerto's aggressive first phrase to the nonstop, virtuoso finale. The ease of his playing of the most difficult passages was imposing, but even more impressive was the beauty of his quiet playing in the lovely second movement.
The orchestra handled its tricky and challenging part in the Barber with assurance, again producing a sound that matched Browning's in its solidity and depth.
The opening ``Carnival Overture'' by Dvorak was energetic throughout, and idyllic in its middle section. A bigger string sound would have made the conclusion more exciting, though. Perhaps the strings were saving themselves for the challenges of Strauss that awaited them later in the program.
Most satisfyingly, the entire concert demonstrated that this orchestra has reached a level where it can handle a wide range of music with a great deal of success. by CNB