Music Reviews

Nov 2, 2008 - The Reno Chamber Orchestra, clarinetist Daniel Gilbert and Copland's sublime Clarinet Concerto

By Jack Neal

Copland’s celebrated Clarinet Concerto was the centerpiece for the Reno Chamber Orchestra’s second concert of the season played Saturday night (11/1/08) at Reno’s Nightingale Concert Hall.

Clarinetist Daniel Gilbert was up to the demands the Copland makes for any clarinetist willing to tackle this exceptionally difficult work. Shrouded as it is in the legend of Benny Goodman, the “King of Swing,” who commissioned the piece over a half century ago and who played it for its inaugural performances, contemporary artists can be eclipsed by the memory of Goodman’s sensitive playing.

As famous as Goodman was, he did what great artists do. At the peak of his fame he went off to Aspen, Colorado to study with the world’s leading exponent of clarinet art, Reginald Kell. Kell was the ultra expressionist clarinet player of the mid 20th century and Goodman was his leading disciple.

Gilbert does not have to take a back seat to anyone, Mr. Goodman, as fine as he was, included.

The opening sequence is pure Copland – haunting, contemplative and hypnotically American. A remarkable, unapologetic ultra expressionist of the 21st century, Gilbert was comfortably at home with Copland’s quietly rhapsodic music. That is, of course, before cutting loose with the rambunctious jazziness that infects much of the concerto’s concluding material. Gilbert excelled in this area as well for a virtuoso ride, and rather bluesy slide, into the Copland’s more earthy moments.

Conductor Theodore Kuchar and the orchestra, strings only enhanced with harp and piano, provided the glued-to-soloist collaboration for which Kuchar and the orchestra become more noted with each passing performance.

Noteworthy, also, were the adroit readings of Haydn’s Symphony No. 96 in D major, the “Miracle,” and Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 1 in C minor. And what interesting comparisons these two widely diverse symphonies are.

The Haydn is Haydn at his most mature and it’s a droll, compact work of infinite finesse. Finesse is the key word for how Kuchar and company brought it off. A reading of charm and wit with sparkling playing from beginning to end adds up to more than just light entertainment. It was a major achievement.

Composed at age 15, the Mendelssohn is a product of one our most buoyant composers at his most youthful. Stormy, as in a dark and stormy night, his Symphony No. 1 is clearly not “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Kuchar mined it for all its “Hell, fire and brimstone, dark and furious” nature and had a ball with Mendelssohn’s somewhat uncharacteristic outburst. Played on All Saints Day, it was more Halloween than saintly and an appropriately window-rattling listening experience.

The orchestra is in fine form. This is the second season Ruth Lenz has been the orchestra’s concertmaster and the impact of her leadership is what it should be – excellent, and it’s noticeable. The strings are impressive with an enviable virtuosity and a cohesiveness of ensemble that comes only with solid musicians from desk to desk and leadership that does its homework and inspires. Ruth Lenz is providing that leadership.

The concert will be repeated Sunday (11/2/08) at 2 p.m.

All Reno Chamber Orchestra subscription concerts are played at Nightingale Concert Hall, 1664 North Virginia Street, Reno, Nevada. The orchestra’s next series of concerts will be January 24 (2009) at 8 p.m. and January 25 (2009) at 2 p.m. and will feature conductor and pianist Jonathan Shames, pianist James Winn, and the music of Sibelius (“Pelleas and Melisande” Suite), J.S. Bach (Concerto for Two Pianos), Mozart (Piano Concerto No. 24) and Schubert (Symphony No. 1). For information call 775-348-9413 or go on line at www.RenoChamberOrchestra.org.