Festival caps stunning season
by Christopher Key

Bellingham Festival of Music Artistic Director Michael Palmer knows how to put an exclamation point at the end of a superb concert series. The festival drew its final standing O of the year for a dazzling concert version of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Fidelio. It may be the only opera he ever wrote, but it has all the passion and power that define his symphonies. The plot involves the incarceration and torture of political prisoners, which makes it disturbingly contemporary. It’s also about the triumph of married love, a subject dear to the composer’s heart.

If you want to know more about Fidelio, look it up in Wikipedia. I’d rather use the space to sing (sic) the praises of soloists, orchestra and chorus. Soprano Katie Bolding, who sang Marzelline, has an unusual background for an opera singer. She began her career as singer and rhythm guitarist for a blues-rock band. Her voice is wonderful, but I can’t help but be curious about how she sounded in her previous incarnation.

Photo courtesy Bellingham Festival of Music.

For this concert, Bolding was reunited with her former teacher and mentor Mary Jane Johnson. As Leonore, the heroic wife, she was perfectly passionate and well-matched with tenor Jeffrey Springer, who played Florestan.

Photo courtesy Bellingham Festival of Music.

Springer’s voice is simply thrilling. He combines extraordinary power with exquisite control and the conviction he brought to the role of the political prisoner was heart-wrenching.

Photo courtesy Bellingham Festival of Music.

Western Washington University alumni Gary Jankowski is as satisfyingly profundo as any basso you will ever hear. His interpretation of the jailer, Rocco, was delivered with touching sensitivity.

Photo courtesy Bellingham Festival of Music.

W. Dwight Coleman played the villainous Don Pizzaro with obvious relish. He has a fine voice, but it lacks power in the lower end of his range and he was, unfortunately, inaudible much of the time. I have since learned that he was quite ill and deserves great credit for getting onstage at all.

Photo courtesy Bellingham Festival of Music.

Tenor Richard Clement was outstanding in Wednesday’s concert when he sang Benjamin Britten’s settings of several English poems. His role as Jaquino in Fidelio was relatively minor, but equally well performed.

Photo courtesy Bellingham Festival of Music.

Don Fernando appears all too briefly in the second act, personifying the cavalry rushing in at the last minute to save the day. Portland’s Clayton Brainerd is as imposing a stage presence as you will probably ever encounter and made the role memorable.

Photo courtesy Bellingham Festival of Music.

One of the things that makes the Festival truly spectacular is the astonishing chorus that Maestro Palmer assembles and I wish we could hear more of them. When they pulled out all the stops in the thunderous finale, they gave me what appear to be permanent goose bumps.

One of the major challenges for the Bellingham Festival of Music is trying to top the previous year’s performances. I have it on good authority that there are surprises in store for next season that won’t be revealed until fall. I’m breathless, if not speechless, with anticipation.

It’s firmly established that this festival is indisputably world-class and if you haven’t experienced this local treasure, you need to revise your bucket list. Keep an eye on the site, www.bellinghamfestival.org, for those aforementioned surprises and it wouldn’t be a bad idea at all to get your tickets early since sellouts are the rule rather than the exception.

Bravo!

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Festival gets adventurous
by Christopher Key

Bellingham Festival of Music Artistic Director Michael Palmer has a gift for assembling interesting programs, but he outdid himself with Wednesday’s concert. He boldly went…well, you know. And it was a trip to the final frontier for those of us lucky enough to be strapped in.

Palmer took the time to explain that he built the program around Benjamin Britten’s Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings, Op. 31. He also explained that a serenade, in the orchestral sense, is all about a group of friends getting together in a relaxed setting to play music. Personally, I think that applies to the Bellingham Festival of Music as a whole. It certainly looks and sounds that way.

Liftoff was achieved by means of Gioachino Rossini’s Overture to La scala di seta “The Silken Ladder.” As Dr. Edward Rutschman points out in his masterful program notes, the opera is a romantic comedy by 19th century standards. There were lots of musical chuckles in the Overture, led by oboist Joseph Robinson, perhaps the hardest-working retired musician ever. The strings were superb with the cellos and basses achieving orbital velocity.

Photo courtesy Bellingham Festival of Music.

Warp drive kicked in with the aforementioned Britten composition. A Prologue and Epilogue surround six poems from the English literary canon. Principal horn Brice Andrus delivered the end pieces with astonishing virtuosity. I didn’t know the horn could do things like that. The poems, ranging from Keats to Jonson to Blake, were delivered beautifully by tenor Richard Clement. His voice is not overpowering and doesn’t need to be in this setting. Sweet is the only word that adequately describes his voice and his control is exquisite. The Britten piece drew the first standing ovation of the night.

Photo courtesy Bellingham Festival of Music.

Following intermission, guest artist Jeremy Denk took everyone to the Delta Quadrant with his performance of Franz Liszt’s Piano Concerto #1 in E flat Major. Passionate and joyful, Denk provided an interesting contrast in styles when compared to the equally talented, but rather restrained, Arnaldo Cohen who was featured in the first concert of the season. Denk is a showman and proved it with his body language. The crowd loved it and wouldn’t let him go until he had performed an encore.

Photo credit - J. Henry Fair

Adventuring is a fine thing, but it is always tempered by the desire to return home. Palmer brought us back to Planet Earth with another serenade, this one by Johannes Brahms, the Serenade #2 in A Major, Op.16. He used a modest ensemble of 25 players, all woodwinds and strings. This piece is owned by the woodwinds. Oboist Robinson delivered another stellar performance, ably assisted by clarinetist Laura Ardan.

The Bellingham Festival of Music never goes gently into that good night and Sunday’s final performance will put an emphatic exclamation point on this season. It is a complete concert version of Ludwig van Beethoven’s only opera, Fidelio. The orchestra will be joined by some celestial soloists and the magnificent Festival Chorus.

I suspect it’s already sold out, but you might be able to get on a waiting list by calling the box office at (360) 650-6146 or by e-mail: boxoffice@wwu.edu.

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Beautiful music, beautiful setting
by John French

Vaunted Editor (VE) to Humble Reviewer (HR) – VE: Would you review a chamber music concert? HR: Sure. VE: It’s the Bellingham Festival of Music. HR: Great! VE: It’s at the cruise terminal. HR: Riiiiiiight. So off I go with all the anticipation of seeing my dentist for what promises to be a really lousy afternoon of listening to delicate chamber works at Bellingham’s own version of Ellis Island.

How wrong I was! The atrium at the cruise terminal proved to be ideal for chamber music with the window section providing the necessary focus for the sound, not to mention a fabulous view.

First on the bill was Johannes Brahms’ Quintet in F minor for Strings and Piano. HR has said in a previous review that Brahms ain’t easy, either to listen to or play. Brahms is not even easy for Brahms. This piece first showed up as a quintet (no piano), then for two pianos (no strings) and even a version for quintet with two cellos (no piano) that Brahms evidently burned. This version performed today had the approval of Clara Schumann (Brahms main sounding board on items compositional) and was presented beautifully.

Sometimes referred to (not so much) jokingly as Brahms’ Third Piano Concerto, you can immediately tell why. Jeffrey Gilliam and company took masterful control from the onset of the Allegro movement and never gave up until the end of the ferocious finale: Presto section. Along the way, we heard the strings soar in the Andante second movement and to the surprise of HR, Gilliam’s fingers did not fall off in the rhythmically tricky Scherzo. In talking to Mr. Gilliam after the piece, I discovered he had a blood blister right under the nail of his fifth finger which should have made this even more difficult. But he let the thunder roll when called for and all of the musicians received a much deserved standing ovation for their efforts.

One side note: the piano Gilliam used was a 5’10″ Steinway Model A that is well-known to HR. It belonged to the late Professor Dr. David Schaub – given to WWU by him – and this reviewer spent several summers practicing on it. It is always nice to see that an old friend is being well taken care of.

After intermission, the survivors of the Brahms (minus Gilliam) and another quartet came together for the other piece of the afternoon. Do you remember what you were doing when you were 16? I was trying to get a date with Ann Metzger and learning how to use a stick shift. Felix Mendelssohn composed what is arguably one his greatest pieces of music, the Octet for Strings. In four movements (Allegro, Andante, Scherzo and Presto) he weaves magic by using endless ways of working all eight instruments in various combinations. The strings were electrifying when they played the exact line in unison in the first movement, as an example. The haunting Scherzo has as its inspiration the “Witches Sabbath” scene from Goethe’s Faust (thank you, Dr. Rutschman – HR did not know this) and the lilting Presto brought to a close a wonderful afternoon’s sights and sounds that I did not think were possible in such a setting.

If you have not had a chance to see any of the Bellingham Festival of Music concerts year, you are missing a level of music making that we don’t get a chance to see all that often in Bellingham. And, by the way, HR did learn how use a stick and never did get a date with Ann.

Next on the festival bill is a program featuring Rossini, Britten, Liszt and (sigh) Brahms on Wednesday, July 13. This concert is back at the WWU PAC (don’t you just hate three-letter abbreviations?) and features tenor Richard Clement. Tickets, if any, are available by calling (360) 650-6146 or by e-mail: boxoffice@wwu.edu.

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Violinist takes festival by storm
by Christopher Key

Due to my reviewing schedule last year, I was unable to witness a phenomenon known as Stefan Jackiw at the Bellingham Festival of Music. Judging from what I heard from those who were there, I wasn’t going to make that mistake this year. It’s a good thing, too, because this young musician should be on everyone’s bucket list.

Before Jackiw burned the place down, the festival orchestra lulled everyone into a false sense of security with a sensitive performance of Claude Debussy’s Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune. This composition was one of the first blows struck by Debussy in his campaign to become the anti-Wagner. It demands a nuanced approach and Maestro Palmer and the orchestra responded beautifully. I heard things I never heard before and I’ve listened to this piece many times. Flutist Christina Smith led the way with some virtuosic help from harpist Rita Costanzi, clarinetist Laura Ardan and oboist Joseph Robinson.

Then Jackiw took the stage for Jean Sibelius’ Concerto in D minor for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 47, and reality as we know it was suspended for an indeterminate length of time. The violin has many voices and if you think you’ve heard all of them, you haven’t heard Jackiw. He coaxes tonality from his instrument that is impossible to describe. I could use a whole thesaurus worth of adjectives. If I start with “a,” amazing, astonishing and astounding come immediately to mind.

Local impresario Jack Frymire and I chatted briefly at intermission and both of us wondered what kind of instrument Jackiw was playing. Given the time constraints imposed by the review, I was unable to find out. Upon further reflection, I have to think that Jackiw could make a garage sale violin sound like a Strad. The audience simply levitated at the end of the performance. Jackiw graciously responded with no less than two encores and it looked for a while as though the SWAT team was going to have to be called in to extract Jackiw from a crowd that didn’t want to let him go.

Most orchestras would find that a very difficult act to follow, but the festival aggregation is made of sterner stuff. They gave Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony #1 in C Major, Op. 21, a memorable ride. I say memorable because I’ve heard this symphony more than a few times and, once again, I discovered things I hadn’t noticed before. That, to me, is what makes this festival so special.

It’s possible that some major professional orchestras have delivered a more stirring performance of Number One, but I’m not easily convinced. Part of it is because I’ve heard it most often on recordings. The most expensive audio equipment still can’t capture that je ne sais quoi of a live performance and the festival orchestra has set the standard as far as I’m concerned.

In past years, I have found that the festival’s chamber music concert has invariably been my favorite. That’s next on the schedule Sunday afternoon at the Bellingham Cruise Terminal. I’m relieved that I won’t have to watch how they manage to get a nine-foot concert grand into that space, but the results should be spectacular. If there are any tickets left, they can be had by calling (360) 650-6146 or by e-mail: boxoffice@wwu.edu. Good luck!

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Festival serves fine cuisine
by John French

A good concert should be like a fine meal…several different courses served with a common denominator. Tonight’s concert served by the Bellingham Festival of Music at Western Washington University was just that. Three very different courses and a wonderful common denominator: Austria in general, and Vienna in particular.

Our first course was the Symphony #83 in G minor by Joseph Haydn. Often referred to as the “Hen,” because of the interplay between the oboes and violins in the first movement, it is the second of six so-called “Paris” symphonies written in 1785. The performance tonight was bright to point of shimmering, with a wonderful give and take of themes between various instruments of the orchestra.

Maestro Palmer held everyone to brisk but appropriate tempi and the violins were in their glory, especially in the first movement. Of equally fine mention were the woodwinds in the third movement minuet and the very vivacious 12/8 Finale. A wonderful start to our meal.

Next up was the Schubert Unfinished Symphony #8 in B minor. From the very opening pianissimo carried by the low strings (cello and double bass) this was pure Schubertian magic. I have no idea if that is really a word, but that is the only way I can describe what I heard. Following the soft introduction, and the scary movie music part (yes, that bit was used for the opening of the 1932 Dracula movie), came the absolutely beautiful themes carried, again, by the woodwinds. Most notably the oboe, bassoon, and flute and they were recognized individually (as they should have been) by Maestro Palmer to a very warm ovation by an enthusiastic audience.

Now for the meat and potatoes, and I do mean meat! Let’s be perfectly clear from the very beginning, Brahms ain’t easy, either to listen to and certainly to play. The Double Concerto for Violin and Cello in A minor was Brahms last orchestral piece. It also was his way of making amends to an estranged friend of his, the violinist Joseph Joachim. Brahms had sided with Joachim’s wife in a not too pleasant divorce, and this was his way of saying he was sorry. On top of that, this was written in the autumn of his life which means one of the words frequently used when describing his music: dense.

Add to that that you need not one, but two top flight instrumentalists to play this piece and you’re work is cut out for you. And it starts immediately (or 35 seconds into the concerto to be precise) with virtuosic cadenzas by both soloists. Janet Sung (violin) and Julian Schwarz (cello) were up to the challenge. If I had any one criticism, it would have been that Mr. Schwarz was too intense, especially in the opening allegro movement. I really felt that he might inadvertently saw his cello in half on more than one occasion.

Photo courtesy Bellingham Festival of Music.

However, by the stunningly languid opening bars of the second movement, he had calmed down enough to blend exquisitely with Ms. Sung. And this piece demands it as Brahms, sometimes, treats the two instruments as one. One finishing a scale the other has started, for example. And the hell-bent trade-offs in the fiery third movement are just what I called them. Sung, Schwarz, Palmer and company were right along for the full ride.

Photo courtesy Bellingham Festival of Music.

All and all this was a most rewarding night with three of Austria’s best representatives in the music writing department. And that is a small, but very impressive club. The Festival is to be commended for providing a venue for these two rising stars, who, with a little time, should have outstanding careers on their respective instruments.

Next on the bill, the sensational young violinist Stefan Jackiw returns for an encore after wowing audiences last season. There may still be some tickets left for the Saturday performance, 7:30 p.m. at the WWU PAC. Call the box office at (360) 650-6146 or order by e-mail: boxoffice@wwu.edu.

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BFOM brings Beethoven
by Christopher Key

The only way I can think of to improve on a gloriously sunny afternoon is to witness the opening concert of the Bellingham Festival of Music in the evening. It’s always fair weather when these superb musicians come to town. It also means that I get a little extra aerobic exercise from participating in the standing ovations that are almost de rigueur for BFOM performances. That’s not to say they are not earned. Not by a long shot.

Maestro Michael Palmer, whose programming instincts are uncanny, chose an all-Beethoven program to open the season and it was a rouser. The Leonore Overture #3, Op. 72A was one of several openings for Beethoven’s opera Fidelio that got discarded. As Dr. Ed Rutschman points out in his program notes, it was because the Leonore was just too good. It told the whole story of the opera before it began and it’s a thrilling bit of musical storytelling. The kicker to the story is that the closing concert in this year’s series will be a complete performance of Fidelio. Nice bit of bookending, that.

The opera and the overture are all about that mysterious “Immortal Beloved” that the composer yearned for. Like love itself, the Leonore is a musical roller-coaster ride. It features a huge dynamic range that would daunt lesser musicians. The BFOM orchestra pulled it off with aplomb. The blistering string passages were as crisp as a fresh potato chip. Flutist Christina Smith got a chance to strut her stuff and did a lovely job. Palmer’s use of an offstage trumpet was particularly affecting.

Guest artist Arnaldo Cohen is something of a polymath, having taken honors in both violin and piano at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro while simultaneously pursuing a degree in engineering. He performed as a professional violinist before committing to the piano. I can’t help but wonder what he would have accomplished had he focused on the violin or engineering. Judging from his performance of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto in C minor, Op. 37, he made the right choice.

Photo courtesy Bellingham Festival of Music.

Reviewers have often described him as a “big” pianist and his sound certainly justifies that. But he accomplishes it with an effortless ease that borders on the nonchalant. In some ways, he reminds me of the late Oscar Peterson, who could do the most astonishing things on the piano while making it look like he was doing nothing more strenuous than enjoying a beer in the backyard on a sunny afternoon. There was no hesitation as the audience leapt to its feet and refused to let Cohen go until he had performed an encore.

Following the intermission, the orchestra performed Beethoven’s Symphony #8 in F Major, Op. 93. This was a special treat as the Eighth doesn’t get nearly as much attention as the Seventh or the Ninth. That’s a shame because the Eighth demonstrates the composer’s playful, witty side that belies all those glowering portraits. Along the way, he manages to pay tribute to both Mozart and his mentor, Haydn.

As I have noted before, the BFOM musicians are so uniformly superior that they make a small orchestra sound much bigger. That was amply demonstrated in this performance. It’s not often that the basses get a chance to show off as much as they do in this symphony. They responded with a booming authority that was a wonder to behold.

There were a few empty seats in the Western Washington University Performing Arts Center for opening night and that should never happen with a festival of this stature. The good news is that you might have a chance to score tickets to upcoming concerts if you get after it right now.

Violinist Janet Sung and cellist Julian Schwarz highlight the next concert on July 5 at the PAC. The 19-year-old Schwarz is the offspring of longtime Seattle Symphony conductor Gerard Schwarz, who recently announced his retirement. The torch has been passed. Call the PAC box office at (360) 650-6146 or e-mail boxoffice@wwu.edu. Who knows? You might get lucky.

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Marsalis jams with locals
By Christopher Key

In an America where freedom keeps taking a back seat to security, there is one idiom where democratic (small d) ideals remain. That would be the most American of art forms: jazz. Since it is, by definition, an improvisatory musical form, trying to impose strictures on it is like trying to nail Jell-O to a tree. Thank God for that and let’s all learn from the cats who refuse to be herded.

Some of the truly inspired moments in jazz come from the jam session, where players gather on an impromptu basis to swap licks. Bellingham has always been something of a hotbed for jazz and a session that took place on Friday night will surely go down in the annals as legendary.

I didn’t get to see jazz icon Wynton Marsalis in concert at the MBT on Friday, but thanks to some friends in the know, got invited to the Blue Horse Gallery after the concert. The rumor was that Marsalis and some of his sidemen would stop by. The rumor was true and you’ve got to bow down to musicians of this stature who are willing to share their chops gratis after playing a major gig.

The local band that entertained the crowd while awaiting the visitation is a stellar example of how young musicians are flocking to jazz in unprecedented numbers. Saxophonist Thomas Harris has been lighting up crowds since he was a student at Sehome and has assembled an aggregation with chops that seriously belie their youth. Lyman Lipke on bass, Julianne Thoma on piano, Max Mendizabal on drums and Dan Rainard on guitar are all players to be reckoned with.

A couple of Bellingham’s best vocalists joined in the fun. Chad Peterson’s endearingly growly style charmed the crowd and David Post’s scatty interpretation drew raves. Austin Richey sat in on drums, Carl Majeua brought his clarinet, Laura Barsalou wailed on alto sax, Jimmy and Noah Austin added trombone and trumpet to the mix. The fact is that this would have been a helluva jam even if the superstars hadn’t shown up.

Show up they did and they took an already stratospheric scene into low earth orbit. Marsalis himself led the way with his unmistakably New Orleans trumpet. The sounds he coaxes from his horn are one of the wonders of the jazz world. Marsalis sideman Marcus Printup is also a trumpeter and brings a gospel-tinged flavor to the mix. Drummer Ali Jackson, Jr., gave solid backup, but only got to seriously rock out on one number. Any drummer can make a lot of noise, but only the very best can blow away a crowd with subtlety.

For an impromptu event, this jam attracted an SRO crowd on short notice. They got to witness something magical: seasoned musicians playing with up-and-coming youngsters. Part of that magic was that the youngsters held their own very well, indeed. And you can take it to the bank that not one of the youngsters will ever forget the night they jammed with Marsalis.

Since taking over the Blue Horse Gallery last year, owner Christine Grinstead has turned the Bay Street location into an epicenter of the local jazz scene and this event only adds to that rep. I didn’t know that a jam session with Wynton Marsalis was on my bucket list, but I’m damned glad to have checked it off. http://www.bluehorsegallery.com.

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WSO pops the cork
by Christopher Key

Back in the day, a double exposure was often considered a mistake. In the hands of a skilled photographer, however, a double exposure can be a very artistic effect. Whatcom Symphony Orchestra is the musical equivalent of that skilled photographer as demonstrated in Saturday’s annual Pops Concert. Pearl Django and Anna Schaad put the double in the exposure and offered contrasting, but very evocative styles. More about them in a moment.

George Gershwin was one of the most American of composers even when he was writing about a different county. His Cuban Overture depicts a very pre-Castro island and incorporates the distinctive rhythms along with his characteristically bluesy style. Driven by a truly rockin’ percussion section, the orchestra had everyone “Havana Daydreaming.”

If you’ve been into the local musical scene for any time at all, I shouldn’t have to introduce Pearl Django. That’s just as well, because the Tacoma aggregation is as indefinable as they are irresistible. Gypsy jazz comes as close as anything to describing what they do.

Photo courtesy Whatcom Symphony Orchestra.

Their interpretation of Consuelo Velásquez’s classic “Besame Mucho” was like hearing it for the first time. WSO clarinetist Barry Ulman provided an orchestral arrangement based on the Edith Piaf/Louis Gugliemi standard “La Vie En Rose.” Pearl Django conjured Parisian sidewalk cafés and Ulman threw in a witty reference to “La Marseillaise” just for fun. The group closed their set by dedicating “I’ll See You in My Dreams” to the orchestra.

Anna Schaad is another artist who should need no introduction in this area. She grew up on the shores of Puget Sound and it had a powerful effect on her music. There is a distinct New Age influence in her compositions, without the annoying repetition that often characterizes that genre. She did go to Evergreen State, after all.

Photo courtesy Whatcom Symphony Orchestra.

“Mermaid” is an oceanic fantasy that was enhanced by some nifty lighting effects from Mt. Baker Theatre’s terrific tech crew. Schaad’s music is enchanting and hypnotic, especially “Angel Oak,” celebrating an ancient tree in North Carolina. Unlikely as it may seem, this Evergreen grad is married to a Naval aviator. Schaad admits it’s an unusual match, but her final number, “Flyboy Lullaby,” indicates that it works very well.

If starting a concert with George Gershwin works well, why not finish off with him? The orchestra sent the audience home with the beloved melodies from Porgy and Bess Symphonic Portrait firmly embedded. It was highlighted by some virtuosic work from oboist Ken Bronstein.

The Pops Concert traditionally closes the WSO season, but they’ve added Universal Language of Music, a family concert scheduled for Saturday, May 14, at 3:00 p.m. Pre-concert activities begin at 2:00 p.m. See the Web site, www.whatcomsymphony.com/ for further details. Next season looks to be a rouser, highlighted by superstar violinist Midori. There have been way too many empty seats at recent concerts and that means too many people are missing out on one of the best community orchestras anywhere. Don’t be one of them.

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Ohlsson brings the house down
by Christopher Key

One can probably be forgiven for thinking that Garrick Ohlsson’s first name is “Legendary.” That encomium seems to be permanently attached to him and it’s not even slightly hyperbolic. Of course, the fact that he’s 6’4” and has hands that can span an octave and a fifth means that he has something of a legendary stage presence even before he starts to play.

Ohlsson is something of a familiar face in this area, having performed three times with the Bellingham Festival of Music. Today marked his first appearance with the Whatcom Symphony Orchestra and it was the stuff of…well…legends.

Maestro Roger Briggs and the orchestra led things off with Franz Schubert’s Symphony No. 4 in C minor, which the composer titled “Tragic.” That moniker is something of a puzzlement since the music is anything but. Of course, Schubert may have been referring to the fact that his music had to compete with that of another composer who was living in Vienna at the same time: Beethoven.

There was scattered applause at the end of the first movement, somewhat understandable since it sounds suspiciously like the end of a symphony. Schubert is perhaps most famous for the more than 600 Lieder he composed during his short (31 years) life. Those songwriting talents become evident in the second movement which features a number of what are now termed “hooks.”

The final movement, marked Allegro, features some frantic string passages that were navigated with typical WSO verve. A friend who has a few years on me was ruminating about Schubert’s short life during intermission. “I’ve long since forgotten everything I knew by the time I was 31,” he said. It does make one wonder what Schubert might have accomplished had he lived to even twice that age.

Ohlsson took the stage following intermission and provided some (perhaps) unintentional comic relief when he dwarfed the piano bench upon sitting down. The piano itself seemed to shrink a bit. Understandably so. His intensity is a bit scary. It’s also glorious. He has an astonishing repertoire of more than 80 concertos and chose Johannes Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor for this performance.

Photo courtesy Whatcom Symphony Orchestra.

Suffice it to say that I usually scribble at least a couple of notes in the program to remind myself what to write about in the review. This time, I couldn’t take my eyes and ears off Ohlsson and if I hadn’t been so swept away by the performance, I might have noticed that the rest of the audience was equally enraptured. That became obvious at the end as the crowd roared its approval and leaped to its feet.

Graciously, Ohlsson rewarded the crowd with no less than two encores. They were very familiar pieces by Chopin and Rachmaninoff and here is where the artist’s true mastery shone through. It was like hearing both pieces for the first time. That’s legendary.

WSO’s final performance of the year is the much-anticipated Pops Concert on Saturday, April 30, at 7:30 p.m. Featuring electric violinist Anna Schaad and gypsy jazz quintet Pearl Django, the concert will likely sell out early. Get your tickets by calling the Mount Baker Theatre Box Office at (360) 734-6080 or online at www.mountbakertheatre.com. For more information on the final concert, see www.whatcomsymphony.com.

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WSO’s blaze glorious, indeed
by Christopher Key

When you hear the words “a blaze of glory,” they are often preceded by the words “going out in,” sometimes referring to reckless heroism accompanied by explosive special effects. The Whatcom Symphony Orchestra’s brand of heroism is daring, to say the least, and their special effects are often pyrotechnic. They show no signs of going out, however, for which we should all be thankful.

This afternoon’s “A Blaze of Glory” concert began with Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 97, by Robert Schumann. It’s often referred to as “Rhenish,” after the storied European river that inspired it. Perhaps the most popular of Schumann’s works, it showcases the melodic gifts so evident in his many German songs. There are string passages that could easily get muddy, but the WSO kept them crisp. The horn section was superb and the percussion section got to warm up a bit in anticipation of what was to come.

Violinist Jennifer Koh has become something of a familiar face, having appeared with the WSO three times. It’s apparently a mutual admiration society. I’m told that after yesterday’s rehearsal, she called composer John Adams and said that he would be amazed at how well this amateur orchestra played his Violin Concerto. That’s gratifying, but hardly surprising to those who follow this high-functioning group.

Photo credit - Janette Beckman

Maestro Roger Briggs prefaced the performance of this work by noting that it was a bit cerebral. He compared the first movement with that time when you are trying the go to sleep but an idea keeps nagging you awake. The second movement, Briggs said, is like finally getting a good night’s sleep. The third is like waking up the next morning and dancing all day long.

Koh is one of those young artists who is not afraid to be physically demonstrative. Indeed, she nearly came out of her shoes on several occasions. After witnessing her performance of his concerto, composer Adams put it this way: “She tore into the gnarlier passagework like Genghis Khan working his way through an opposing army. The hairs on her violin bow went flying off to the point where one wondered how many would be left for the final bar.” An apt description that saves me from resorting to the thesaurus.

Photo courtesy Whatcom Symphony Orchestra.

The second movement of this work is one of the most mesmeric pieces of music I’ve ever heard and was spoiled only by someone’s cell phone going off at the worst possible moment. How long, O Lord, how long? This work is both challenging and fascinating rhythmically and the composer’s use of everything from bells to bongos in the percussion section is wildly innovative.

If you’re going to end a concert in “A Blaze of Glory,” there is not a much better way to do it than with Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Festival Overture. This is one of the works that got me hooked on classical music at an early age and I really don’t care what certain classical music snobs may think of it. If Adams’ work is cerebral, Tchaikovsky’s is visceral.

After all the times I’ve heard it, you’d think I’d be somewhat jaded. But the WSO gave it a resounding ride that made it fresh again. When the anthemic themes began competing, when the bells started ringing, when the cannons thundered seismically through the MBT’s skookum sound system, every hair on my body stood on end and they haven’t yet relaxed. It reminded me that I happened to be in the MBT just over ten years ago when the Nisqually earthquake hit. I guess if the old girl can withstand a quake, she can withstand the 1812. Given that circumstance, I probably should avoid using the phrase “brought down the house.”

This concert will be a tough act to follow, but legendary pianist Garrick Ohlsson will headline the next concert exactly a month from today and you have to think he’ll be up to the task. So will the WSO. That concert is a sure sellout, so make your reservations now by calling the MBT box office at (360) 734-6080. For more information on upcoming concerts, go to http://www.whatcomsymphony.com/concerts.php.

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