Music Reviews

Apr 5, 2009 - The young violinist Christopher Lin-Brande impresses as soloist with the Reno Chamber Orchestra

By Jack Neal

The obsession with youth isn’t just an American phenomenon.

Before Hollywood made “stage mother” a household term, the musical marketability of a very young Mozart propelled papa Mozart into the ranks of “stage father.” The prodigious musicianship of the young Mendelssohn made him into what amounted to be (for his day) a rock-star celebrity.

The fascination goes on.

Violinist Christopher Lin-Brande, winner of this year’s Reno Chamber Orchestra Concerto Competition, began studying violin at age four and began playing professionally at age fourteen. Saturday night, at 20 and playing Wieniawski’s Violin Concerto No. 2, Lin-Brande made his Reno Chamber Orchestra debut as a soloist.

With no hint of either a stage mother or stage father in the wings, it was an auspicious debut for a young man who appears destined for a career in medicine, not music. Not that he couldn’t continue to excel in music, it’s just that his primary interests rest elsewhere.

As a showpiece for virtuosity, the Wieniawski is a natural, and – once he warmed to the task – Lin-Brande made the most of it. With a flawless technique, every phrase was fleshed out in virtuoso fashion. Wieniawski was himself a virtuoso and peppered his writing with complexities. From the fire-breathing conclusion of the first movement, through the beautifully shaped longing phrases of the Romance, to the photo-finish of the finale, Lin-Brande’s performance was solid and a whirlwind of action.

What is yet to come (and no doubt will), is the unbridled passion that’s at the heart of the Wieniawski. Conductor Theodore Kuchar led the by-no-means-simple accompaniment with skill, eliciting a robust response from the orchestra. The near capacity, Nightingale Concert Hall audience responded with a sustained standing ovation.

Mendelssohn’s “Ruy Blas” Overture opened the program. The overture is a blood-and-thunder affair, entirely fitting for the Romantic era emotionalism in which it was written. It’s also rather out of character for the hopelessly well-adjusted Mendelssohn. But since he couldn’t stand the Victor Hugo play, “Ruy Blas,” for which he had been commissioned to write an overture, he may have just let his temperament take over and lost control. Kuchar and the orchestra followed suit for a bombastic performance – a great curtain raiser - that cleared the sinuses. It was ferocious (so much hard bowing one expected sawdust on the floor) and more exhilarating than throwing plates during an argument.

Robert Schumann’s Symphony No. 2 in B-flat Major, “Spring,” had the passion of the Mendelssohn without the ferocity. Kuchar and the orchestra opened the symphony in a highly charged manner; spring in Reno it seems awakens with a bang. Kuchar’s is an exuberant reading filled with optimism. The Larghetto brought out the heart of the music. The Scherzo was effortless and allowed to breathe. The final movement had momentum without bruising musical line in the wake of excitement. Sketched in the white-hot haste of just four days (Robert and Clara Schumann had just married), the symphony has youthful passion. It was a passion not passed by in this exciting and lush presentation.

What a lovely way to end the season.

The concert will be repeated Sunday (4/5/09) at 2 p.m.

All Reno Chamber Orchestra subscription concerts are played at Nightingale Concert Hall, 1664 North Virginia Street, Reno, Nevada. For information about the orchestra’s 2009-2010 season and other Reno Chamber Orchestra concerts and events call 775-348-9413.