The Columbus Symphony Orchestra inaugurated its new season, “Familiar Faces … Great Music … Your Orchestra,” with its largest ensemble in many years. This, together with the return of former musical director Arkady Orlovsky as guest soloist, provided the backdrop for an exciting debut concert, “Poise, Passion and Power,” Oct. 21 at The Commons.
Opening the concert in a unique way, principal second violinist Laura Andrews beautifully delivered an emotional tribute to longtime performer and CSO board member Jo Stattenfield, who died Aug. 6. Andrews’ prepared remarks vividly and at times, comically, highlighted the special contributions of Stattenfield and were followed by a most fitting musical tribute as Orlovsky played a beautiful and tender unaccompanied cello solo.
As requested by the orchestra, the moment of silence that followed was an appropriate tribute by the audience to this longtime participant and supporter of the arts in Columbus.
Current musical director Josh Aerie then took his place on the podium as the CSO began its most familiar work on the program, Maurice Ravel’s “Bolero.” A work that is frequently performed on concert stages and was featured in the 1979 film “10,” this piece calls upon many soloists from the orchestra performing a repeated musical motive driven by an insistent rhythmic ostinato performed on the snare drum.
Most of the featured soloists displayed great tone quality and a musicianship that far exceeded their volunteer status. Beginning quietly with just the snare drum, the piece builds to an incredible musical climax which the larger CSO ensemble easily handled, filling The Commons performance hall and eliciting cheers from a delighted audience.
The larger middle and lower strings enhanced the overall fullness of the orchestra while maintaining an appropriate balance.
The concert’s second selection, “Concerto in A minor for Cello and Orchestra,” composed by Robert Schumann, brought back to the stage solo cellist Orlovsky, who served as musical director of the CSO from 1992 until his retirement in 2009, the second-longest such tenure in the ensemble’s history.
Many of the veteran performers of the CSO began their careers with the orchestra under the baton of Orlovsky and the performance of this work was a wonderful homecoming. The CSO provided a full-yet-balanced supporting role to the piece and followed conductor Aerie’s delicate yet forceful baton technique with great precision and flexibility.
But the real star of the piece was the passion in the performance of Orlovsky. His tone was incredibly beautiful and sweet, no matter how forcefully or quietly or quickly he played. His technique was flawless throughout the wide range of his instrument, displaying an incredible dexterity and intricacy.
Though not as visually demonstrative as many of today’s younger performers, his subtle glances at the concertmaster during intimate rhythmic interchanges between the cello and first violins, his occasional turn of the head toward Aerie during difficult tempo changes or his slight grin as he beautifully turned a musical phrase, allowed Orlovsky to hold the audience in the palm of his hand as he made the work his own and was rewarded with a standing ovation by those in attendance at the end of his incredible performance.
The concert’s final work, “Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes” by Carl Maria von Weber,” by 20th century composer Paul Hindemith, provided a wonderful showcase for the new power of this larger CSO ensemble.
A work of four movements, each highlighted a different aspect of the musical strengths of the CSO while featuring the different instrumental sections.
Movement one explored the wide dynamic range of the orchestra, utilizing the full string section sound strongly supported by the precision of the percussion section. Movement two began quietly but with a well-supported tone which later allowed the brass section to be featured with a strong, full, rich sound.
Though movement three was slower, this enabled the orchestra to make full use of its sustained, legato playing, underscored by a driving rhythmic percussion. The many layers of this movement were woven together by Aerie’s controlled conducting of the highly intricate rhythmic woodwind section contribution.
The final movement brought all of the forces of the CSO together highlighted by a strong brass beginning, soaring strings, a bright tempo and the hall filling power of the full ensemble. As the audience responded with sustained applause and a final standing ovation, the CSO stood to appropriately receive their accolades.
J. Kevin Butler is a graduate of the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and was a high school choral director for more than 20 years. He is currently director of music for the First United Methodist Church of Columbus.
