The Oberlin Review
<< Front page News October 1, 2004

Orchestra opens new season

Master of melodies: Oberlin Orchestra conductor, Timothy Weiss, leads a concert last night of 20th century masterworks.
 

Last Friday night in Finney Chapel, the Oberlin Orchestra opened their season with three 20th century works: John Adams’ Short Ride in a Fast Machine, Stephen Jaffe’s Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, and Bela Bartok’s Suite from the Miraculous Mandarin.  Under the direction of Timothy Weiss, the orchestra gave an exciting interpretation to this unique program.

Short Ride in a Fast Machine (1986), like much of John Adams’ music, is an extremely challenging work. The high notes, complex rhythms, repeating patterns and constantly changing meters demand the utmost endurance and precision from the instrumentalists. Considering this, the Oberlin Orchestra gave an effective and energetic performance of this four-and-a-half minute fanfare. However, the tempo, slightly slower than the composer’s marking, lessened the work’s feeling of perpetual motion.  The shimmering woodwind passages were performed well, but the brass lacked those crisp, crystal-clear articulations that characterize Adams’ music.  Also, the brass did not play with adequate force and volume, especially at the work’s climactic end.  The complexities of Adams’ meter changes occasionally resulted in the orchestra not playing together.  Still, they offered an exhilarating presentation of this well-liked piece. Oberlin Professor of Violin Gregory Fulkerson performed the solo part in the Concerto for Violin and Orchestra (2000) by American composer Stephen Jaffe.  The work had a distinctly American flavor to it.  Folk music influences, characteristic of Aaron Copland’s music, could be heard in the Jaffe’s opening violin solo.  The rich harmonies and lush, flowing melodies were reminiscent of Samuel Barber’s neoromantic style, while the complex rhythms and unique dissonances sounded much like Igor Stravinsky. Fulkerson’s playing was highly impressive.  The challenging solo part took him into the stratosphere of the violin’s range where he obviously felt most comfortable.  He brilliantly performed the many virtuosic, cadenza-like passages scattered throughout the work. Always projecting well, he was never overpowered by the orchestra. Despite Fulkerson’s excellent playing and the many interesting influences of this work, Jaffe’s concerto was a rather monotonous piece.  Regardless of its dramatic and powerful character, the work’s overall style rarely varied.  Lasting thirty-five minutes long, this concerto might have been more effective as a shorter piece.

The high point of this concert was the orchestra’s performance of Bartok’s Miraculous Mandarin Suite (1919).  The work depicts a dark and sensual story.  Three thieves order a girl to lure men into their apartment so they may steal the victim’s money.  After an old man and shy boy are taken in and thrown out, a mysterious, appalling Mandarin appears.  The frightened girl dances for him, but runs away when the Mandarin embraces her.  A chase sequences follows, after which the three thieves jump upon the Mandarin and suffocate him under a pillow.  Somehow still alive, they stab him and hang him, but both acts prove unsuccessful.  The girl realizes what must be done.  She embraces the Mandarin once more, and after his desires are satisfied, he finally dies.

From the busy, energetic introduction to the loud, dramatic ending, the orchestra performed the suite with vigor and intelligence.  The brass, particularly the trombone section, played extremely well.  They filled Finney with powerful, exuberant sonorities, especially duing the horrific moment when the Mandarin first appears.  In addition, the strings played with a full, unified sound that permeated the entire work.  Clarinetists Andrew McCollum and Sergei Dvornichenko deserve special recognition.  With expert subtlety, their solos portrayed the girl seducing men on the street. Ultimately, the Oberlin Orchestra demonstrated their considerable ability and dynamic energy.  Their performance was rousing, and it will only get better from here.
 
 

   

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