Philharmonics' Russian Spectacular just that

By Burt Saidel

Sometimes you miss all of the fun. I was unable to attend the Dayton Philharmonic’s Russian Spectacular opening night concert.  Due to travel plans, we had to switch from our customary Thursday to the Saturday night performance.  

The missing fun had nothing to do with hearing a truly great concert.  On Thursday, the inevitable happened, or should I say, re-happened.  During a particularly delicate section of Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 1, a cell phone “went off.”  

I am certain that Maestro Neal Gittleman’s recurrent nightmares involve cell phones during performances. Perhaps every performer shares that horror. When it happened, Maestro Neal stopped the music, allowed the pause to collect the mood of the orchestra and audience, and started again.

The restart proved to be too rocky for his delicate ear and lofty standards. Again, he stopped the music and the third time proved to be the return to customary perfection.   At any rate, I missed all that excitement and had to be content with an absolutely marvelous concert full of musical joy.

The Philharmonic is giving nearly all of its performances a theme. The Russian theme was spelled out in music and in interesting displays of Russian art pieces in the Wintergarden. I could see quite a few little girls, some quite grown up, gathered around the “mother dolls,” the interesting stacks of carved figures that nest inside each other.  The recurrent comment was, “I have some of those.”

The concert began with a Russian’s dream of sunny Spain. Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov used Spanish dances and folk songs to create one of his most popular compositions, Capriccio Espagnol. The music, gay and full of the unexpected, has one foot in Spain and the other firmly planted in Mother Russia. The “Capriccio” was one of the classical “pop idols” of my college days.  Its pure delight has easily bridged the half century gap.

Maestro Neal seems to revel in showing off his excellent musicians. The entire concert had many opportunities for brilliant solos from the various sections of the orchestra. Concertmaster Aurelian Oprea, and principals, flute Rebecca Andres, oboe Eileen Whalen, clarinet John Kurokawa and cello Andra Padrichelli, joined others in making the music sparkle.

There were two major works on the remainder of the program. Dimitri Shostakovich will be a regular visitor to the concerts.  He is being celebrated for his 100th
birthday but more for his splendid music.

I can state firmly that when the music of Shostakovich can be “sold” to audiences in Dayton, Ohio, we have a great conductor and great orchestra.  New music is always more difficult for audiences. In past seasons, Maestro Neal enriched the orchestra’s program with the compositions of Mahler, Glazunov, Bruckner, Shostakovich and Messiaen, to name a few. Our Philharmonic “top 40” is expanding!

The Shostakovich offering for this Russian concert was his Symphony No. 1.  Written as a graduation exercise for the Leningrad Conservatory, the work had examples of everything old, contemporary and future.  

Absent from the DPO concerts since 1967, listeners to Dayton Public Radio were given a boost by hearing the symphony several times during the weeks preceding the concert.  I found that the symphony was enthralling.  The music moved through every dynamic and tonal range.  

It was obvious that young Shostakovich had many friends in the conservatory orchestra.  He wrote show pieces for every conceivable combination of instruments. We have come to expect clarity and brilliance from our orchestra.  This symphony was a paragon of those essential virtues.

After intermission, Cuban-born pianist Horacio Gutierrez joined the orchestra to play every one’s favorite piano concerto, Tchaikovsky’s celebrated 1st.  Full of familiar melodies, many of which reached Tin Pan Alley, the work is a challenge to orchestra, soloist and conductor.

Keeping a familiar war horse fresh and vital requires special artistry.  All of those talents were on display as Gutierrez kept the dazzling runs and beautiful melodic passages bright and unsullied by any cloying over-familiarity.

When you hear this kind of performance, it is no wonder that this concerto is so popular.  It is also no wonder that the music of our orchestra is so exciting and appealing. The Philharmonic gives us the great opportunity to expand our musical horizons and enjoyment.  Keep it up, dear friends.  We love you!

Woodland Cemetary photo contest underway

Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum invites you to participate in their 15th Annual Photo Contest.  All photos must be taken on the grounds of Woodland Cemetery during regular business hours, but photos of funerals or other private burial matters are not permitted.

Photos may be entered in either of two divisions:  Division A-  18 yrs and younger
Division B-  19 years and older

The photos may be in color or black and white, and must be at least 5’’ x 7” and no larger than 11” x 14”, exclusive of matting or mounting.  All photos must be matted or mounted, but no framed photos will be accepted.  Please do not sign your photos, a signature will disqualify your photo.  All photos must be labeled on the back with the folllowing information:  name, address, phone number, division, and the title of the photograph.  Cash prizes will be awarded.  

Entries are limited to three per entrant.  The decisions of the judges are final, and the winning photographs will become the property of Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum.  All other entries will be available to be claimed by the entrants after November 20. 2006.  Please stop by the office (at 118 Woodland Ave.) to pick up official rules and entry form.  Deadline for entries is September 30, 2006.  

The winners will be announced at Discover Woodland Day on October 15, 2006.  For further information please call Darlene at 228-322.

K-12 Nutcracker art contest announced

Dayton Ballet is excited to announce the 2nd Annual Dayton Ballet Nutcracker Art Contest.  Children ages 4 to 12 may enter Dayton Ballet’s Nutcracker Art Contest by submitting original artwork representing The Nutcracker theme by Nov. 3, 2006.  

Select entries may be displayed at the Schuster Center during performances of Dayton Ballet’s The Nutcracker, Dec. 15-23, 2006.  All forms of media will be accepted with winners selected from each age group:  age 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12.  

Various prizes will be awarded to each winner and the overall winner will have their art reproduced on the cover of every 2006 Playbill for Dayton Ballet’s The Nutcracker.  All entries must be oriented vertically with dimen sions of 8.5 x 11 inches to be eligible.  Each piece must include the child’s name, address, phone number and age on the reverse side.  Entries should be sent or delivered to Dayton Ballet, c/o Nutcracker Art Contest, 140 N. Main Street, Dayton, OH  45402.  Only one entry per child will be accepted.  

The winners will be announced on Nov. 10, 2006.

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September 26, 2006
Volume 15, Number 39

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