Kansas City Symphony, Saint-Saens, Harbison and Prokofiev

I had to admit I had not heard of Larry Rachleff, who was featured as guest conductor of this weekend’s Kansas City Symphony. The program looked interesting with Harbison’s “Remembering Gatsby”, the Violin Concerto # 3 by Saint-Saens and selections from Prokofiev’s ballet “Romeo and Juliet” as fare.

Larry Rachleff, come to find out, is an active conductor and teacher. He is in his eleventh season as Music Director of the Rhode Island Symphony, he is Professor of Conducting and Music Director of Rice University’s Shepherd School Orchestras in Houston and also conducts the Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra, and is Music Director of the San Antonio Symphony. Not a particularly flashy conductor he certainly brought an element of superbly controlled energy to the orchestra’s sound. Again, the symphony was sounding better than ever.

The opening “Remembering Gatsby: Foxtrot for Orchestra” was well played and attractive. The work is derived from an opera based on the F. Scott Fitzgerald’s masterpiece “The Great Gatsby”. The opera had a long gestation period and this piece actually predates the completed opera by about 15 years. The muted brass, jazzy winds and percussion evoke a1920's night club. Much like the hideous 1974 film of the Great Gatsby, all the pain and grit and biting satire inherent in this story have been glossed over. Not being real familiar with the piece, I can not compare it to other performances; however it was well played and enthusiastically received.

What is there not to like about Saint-Saens? Some may be inclined to dismiss the composer’s works; the music is hardly ever emotionally draining or deeply moving and rarely does it stretch the demands of the performers in a new way. Indeed discussion rages yet today on the merit of the man and his music. Yet it is always engaging, tuneful, charming, often exciting and in the concerti always technically demanding.

The 3rd Violin Concerto is the most often played of the 3 Saint-Saens wrote. Not particularly demanding, it is, however, full of melodic invention and expression. Jennifer Frautschi ably brought out this flow of melody; her violin singing above and weaving in and out of the orchestral texture. The orchestra was a thrilling accompanist, especially in the last movement with its gypsy tones and grand chorale. Frautschi is a wonderful and also quite adventurous violinist. Her album “Solovision” is a fascinating and varied program of solo violin works by Ysaye, Harbison, Bartok and Davidovsky. Worth looking for on the Artek label.

I have never really been attracted neither to Prokofiev’s “Romeo and Juliet” ballet nor to the music of the composer in general. This music, coming from one of his more successful scores, is always a crowd pleaser and familiar to many and thus a satisfying conclusion to the evening. Rachleff led an exciting performance with the Death of Tybalt being one of the more successful and engaging performances of the piece I have heard.

I do hope we get to hear more of this exciting and accomplished conductor.