Originally planned as an evening of romantic music in anticipation of St. Valentine’s Day, Saturday night was an emotional night at the symphony.
General Manager Barbara Parker had the sad duty to announce the passing of a prominent member of the PGSO family, Bob Larmour. She described him as an exemplary board member who never missed a meeting, a performance or a fundraising event. He genuinely cared about the musicians and regularly met visiting performers at the airport and made sure they were comfortable during their stay. She said, “We dedicate the concert this evening to his memory.”
The only nod to modern music was the opening selection, “Le Jardin Mystérieux” by Canadian composer Denis Gougeon. That proved to be an interesting building and layering of note sequences which expanded into full sound and faded into silence. Conductor Les Dala happened to remark that although Bob Larmour was never a big fan of modern music, he was open-minded enough to tolerate it. “He would have appreciated the opening Canadian piece for its brevity!”
The audience then received the wonderful gift of a performance by guest soloist Kinza Tyrrell. On this return visit, her brilliant performance of “Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in A Minor, Opus 16” by Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg was stunningly beautiful. From its familiar opening bars, she transported an attentive audience through the interesting mix of lively and then mellow melodies. She was grandly supported by the orchestra which provided appropriate drama.
In one interlude, the music was as peaceful as listening to lark sounds in a meadow. The pianist picked up that sentiment and rendered a sweet-sounding volley of notes back with the orchestra building in volume, then to a quiet pause and a return to a spirited dance at full volume towards an extended ending. The audience responded with thunderous applause and a call-back for a second bow.
For the evening’s second half, the orchestra presented another romantic composition. That was Russian composer Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakoff’s “Scheherazade, Symphonic Suite, Opus 35.” Prominent in this was the recurring duet of sweet, gentle music performed on violin by guest concertmaster Jose Delgrado-Guevara with guest harpist Lani Krantz. For this performance, the harp was graciously loaned by the Rustad family.
Perhaps the orchestra’s performance was enhanced because they were playing in tribute to their longtime friend, Bob Larmour. Conductor Dala told the audience that Bob had particularly been looking forward to the performance of this symphony. He said, “I hope he can hear this concert and know that it is being played for him.”
Reflecting Russian music taste, this selection had full orchestral force in volume and in energy which only occasionally ebbed into gentler sequences. The tilt of the harp was the signal of the beginning of a tranquil passage to break up the dramatic sequences.
Altogether, this was a highly enjoyable concert event.
Check the PGSO website for details of an essay contest for children and an opportunity for adults to bid on a chance to watch a performance with the orchestra from the stage.
Contributed by Valerie Giles
10 February 2008
10 February 2008
