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by:
JAMES D. WATTS JR. World Scene
Writer
4/7/2008 12:00 AM
For the final concert of its second
full season, the Tulsa Symphony
Orchestra decided to relax, have
some fun, maybe even show off a bit.
The orchestra, under the direction
of guest conductor Carl Topilow,
presented an "old school" pops
concert Saturday night at the Tulsa
Performing Arts Center -- concert
music with no agenda beyond simply
wanting to please and, on occasion,
to dazzle.
Not that any of it was easy or
simplistic, by any means. But this
"Evening with the Tulsa Symphony,"
as it was billed, was about as far
removed in emotional terms as could
be imagined from the orchestra's
last concert, where Mahler's
Symphony No. 5 was on the bill.
This, on the other hand, was more of
a musical Valentine -- never mind it
was delivered a couple of months
after said holiday -- from the
orchestra to its audience.
And Topilow wasted no time in
delivery. Just a quick nod to
acknowledge the audience's applause
at his entrance, then a bound onto
the podium and boom! -- the opening
blast of John Williams' rousing if
derivative "The Cowboys" Overture.
Four members of the orchestra were
featured in solo sections. Principal
cellist Kari Caldwell took the stage
first for the Elegie for Cello and
Orchestra, Op. 24 by Faure. The
warm, singing tone Caldwell gets out
of her cello, and a tempo that was a
shade faster than we're used to,
gave this melancholy music an
unusually hopeful sound.
Conversely, concertmaster Rossitza
Goza's solo, Sarasate's "Zigeunerweisen
(Gypsy Airs)" was all flash and
sparkle. Sarasate was a violinist
and showman himself, and this piece
is full of showy, gimmicky tricks --
especially the first 10 minutes,
which is a series of musical
cliffhangers. Goza dispatched this
piece with great skill and a lot of
flair, making the most out of that
teasing opening so that the final
few minutes of rip-roaring dance
music seemed to explode from her
violin.
Principal trumpet Tim McFadden and
principal trombone William Damron
joined forces for Joseph Turrin's
"Fandango," a piece written in 2000.
Damron was especially impressive
here, matching McFadden rapid,
staccato note for rapid, staccato
note, as well as giving finely
phrased voice to a lovely melody at
the center of the piece.
Topilow, who leads the Cleveland
Pops Orchestra and teaches at the
Cleveland Institute of Music, led
the orchestra through three other
boisterous pieces, maintaining the
illusion of spontaneity while
holding the ensemble in tight
control.
Rimsky-Korsakov's Capriccio
Espagnole featured sharp individual
playing from Goza, Caldwell, Bruce
Schultz on French horn, Lisa Wagner
on English horn, Dana Higbee on
flute, Brad Behn on clarinet, Lise
Glaser on oboe and Tabitha Steiner
on harp.
Topilow explained how Brahms' sense
of humor is evident in his Academic
Festival Overture, by playing
examples of the student drinking
songs Brahms used throughout the
piece. And since "you can never have
too much Gershwin," Topilow prefaced
the orchestra's rousing rendition of
"An American in Paris" with a take
on "It Ain't Necessarily So," with
Topilow cutting loose on clarinet.
CLICK HERE FOR PDF VERSION
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James D. Watts Jr. 581-8478
james.watts@tulsaworld.com
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