Springfield Symphony Orchestra, Springfield, MA
May 3, 2014
by Michael J. Moran
 |
| Kevin Rhodes |
For the celebratory close of SSO’s 70th anniversary season,
Maestro Kevin Rhodes noted in his “Rhodes’ Reflections” column in the program
book that he wanted to include music by his “two favorite American composers”
in the first half of the concert and to close it with an “unjustly neglected
masterpiece” by “one of the most popular composers” that he and the SSO have
championed.
He opened with a lively account of William Schuman’s
exuberant “American Festival Overture,” which the composer began with three
notes reflecting the boyhood “call to play” with his New York City friends. The
entire orchestra “played” with controlled abandon, but the large percussion
section (which remained for the other two works) seemed to be having an
especially good time.
Leonard Bernstein’s “Chichester Psalms,” written in 1965 for
the cathedral choir in that English city and sung in Hebrew, featured perhaps
the youngest soloist ever to appear with the SSO, 10-year-old boy soprano Dylan
Cranston. A three-year veteran of professional choral performance, the
Trumbull, CT native sang Psalm 23 with clarity, sweetness, and confidence. The
men and women of the Springfield Symphony Chorus accompanied him with a robust
and exhilarating sound in excerpts from five other Psalms. Chorus Director
Nikki Stoia joined the orchestra and singers for a well-deserved ovation.
After intermission, Rhodes led the SSO in a loving
performance of the “Springfield, MA debut” of Rachmaninoff’s third symphony 78
years after its world premiere by the Philadelphia Orchestra under Leopold
Stokowski. As the maestro also wrote in his “Reflections,” it completed the
SSO’s presentation of all that composer’s major orchestral compositions over
the past few seasons. Their affinity for Rachmaninoff was evident in the warmth
and affection of their playing, which highlighted the composer’s melodic
genius, even if less inspired here than in his greatest works.
That Rhodes and the orchestra are a match for the ages was
confirmed when SSO President John Chandler announced before the concert that
the Maestro’s contract had just been extended for three more years. The
cheering audience has much musical magic to look forward to.
