Now that the calendar has turned to April and the gray, cold days of winter are gone for a while, signs of brighter days are appearing everywhere. Winter coats hung in the closet, new buds on trees, and enjoying the great outdoors are all signs of the rejuvenation that comes with spring.
Maybe the weather had something to do with the renewed sense of energy on stage at the theater this past weekend. After a well deserved week of vacation, the orchestra welcomed Mark Wigglesworth back the podium for a concert featuring Rachmaninoff's second symphony and the first concerto for piano and orchestra by Beethoven (performed by Adam Golka). Now often after a week off, when practicing for the next show isn't always high on anyone's priority list, it can take a little time to get back into the swing of things. I am very happy to report that this was not a problem for us this time around.
As many of you probably are aware, we are in the midst of a search for our next music director at the ISO. This being the case, many of us are watching very carefully to see what each guest conductor brings to the table, gauging our interest in working with him or her again, and vice versa. While I can't speak for my colleagues, I found that we responded quickly and very positively to maestro Wigglesworth's style of conducting.
Very often conductors try to control every part of the musical presentation when they stand before an orchestra. For example, they might demand exact and unwavering ideas about phrasing and articulation choices, leaving no room for the musicians to add their own individuality to the mix. While some parameters must be set by the conductor (tempo, dynamic balancing, some general style points), the real masters of the craft understand that music making is a collaboration, and therefore some room for interpretation must be given to the players in the orchestra.
A good example of this give and take from this past weekend could be heard during the gorgeous and dramatic clarinet solo, played beautifully by our own David Bellman, in the slow movement of the second symphony. Wigglesworth helped to create a lush and tender backdrop for David to play above, taking the appropriate steps during rehearsals to do so, but never gave any specifics about how the solo should be played. The result was spectacular as I am sure all those who heard it live would agree.
Another enjoyable part of the week's rehearsals for me took place after the first read-through of the Beethoven, which begins with an extended introduction played by the orchestra before the piano solo enters. During the first reading of the introduction, the orchestra's dynamic contrast, or the difference between the loud and soft sections, wasn't great enough for the maestro. He spent several minutes working on just that one detail, as it is a prevailing theme in the piece. I was stuck not only by the effectiveness of the change, but also at the effect it seemed to have on the stylistic phrasing the orchestra produced as a result. We began to feel the shape and lilt of the music better as an ensemble. Again a result of collaboration as opposed to dictation from the podium.
The concerts were full of great energy and musical cohesion. I hope many more weeks like this one are to come for all of us. And I look forward to working with Mr. Wigglesworth again soon.
Maybe the weather had something to do with the renewed sense of energy on stage at the theater this past weekend. After a well deserved week of vacation, the orchestra welcomed Mark Wigglesworth back the podium for a concert featuring Rachmaninoff's second symphony and the first concerto for piano and orchestra by Beethoven (performed by Adam Golka). Now often after a week off, when practicing for the next show isn't always high on anyone's priority list, it can take a little time to get back into the swing of things. I am very happy to report that this was not a problem for us this time around.
As many of you probably are aware, we are in the midst of a search for our next music director at the ISO. This being the case, many of us are watching very carefully to see what each guest conductor brings to the table, gauging our interest in working with him or her again, and vice versa. While I can't speak for my colleagues, I found that we responded quickly and very positively to maestro Wigglesworth's style of conducting.
Very often conductors try to control every part of the musical presentation when they stand before an orchestra. For example, they might demand exact and unwavering ideas about phrasing and articulation choices, leaving no room for the musicians to add their own individuality to the mix. While some parameters must be set by the conductor (tempo, dynamic balancing, some general style points), the real masters of the craft understand that music making is a collaboration, and therefore some room for interpretation must be given to the players in the orchestra.
A good example of this give and take from this past weekend could be heard during the gorgeous and dramatic clarinet solo, played beautifully by our own David Bellman, in the slow movement of the second symphony. Wigglesworth helped to create a lush and tender backdrop for David to play above, taking the appropriate steps during rehearsals to do so, but never gave any specifics about how the solo should be played. The result was spectacular as I am sure all those who heard it live would agree.
Another enjoyable part of the week's rehearsals for me took place after the first read-through of the Beethoven, which begins with an extended introduction played by the orchestra before the piano solo enters. During the first reading of the introduction, the orchestra's dynamic contrast, or the difference between the loud and soft sections, wasn't great enough for the maestro. He spent several minutes working on just that one detail, as it is a prevailing theme in the piece. I was stuck not only by the effectiveness of the change, but also at the effect it seemed to have on the stylistic phrasing the orchestra produced as a result. We began to feel the shape and lilt of the music better as an ensemble. Again a result of collaboration as opposed to dictation from the podium.
The concerts were full of great energy and musical cohesion. I hope many more weeks like this one are to come for all of us. And I look forward to working with Mr. Wigglesworth again soon.
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