Hartford Symphony, Hartford, CT
January 21–24, 2016
by Michael J. Moran
The “battle” in this program title refers neither to the
labor dispute between HSO musicians and management that was resolved just days before
these concerts, nor to winter storm Jonas, which forced a rare cancellation of
Saturday’s concert, but to a competition among three young musicians for the
orchestra’s new Assistant Conductor position. Each led two pieces on the
program, one with a featured HSO principal soloist and one with orchestra
alone.
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| Valentino, Crust & Kerry Boyles |
Principal Bassist Edward R. Rozie, Jr., opened with a
rousing account of two movements from the second concerto for double bass and
orchestra by 19th-century Italian composer and double bass player Giovanni
Bottesini under the energetic baton of Adam Kerry Boyles. Robert McEwan next
performed a haunting solo in the first movement of French composer and
percussionist Emmanuel Sejourne’s jazzy 1999 concerto for vibraphone and
orchestra, sumptuously led by Andrew Crust. Concertmaster Leonid Sigal closed
the first half with a virtuoso rendition of Saint-Saens’ familiar "Introduction
and Rondo Capriccioso" under the balletic direction of Patrick Valentino.
Based in Boston, and also a composer, Valentino followed
intermission with a grand but lively reading of the "Overture" to Mozart’s The
Magic Flute. Also based in the Boston area and active as a choral and solo
singer, Boyles next led an unusually flowing account of Debussy’s "Prelude to
the Afternoon of a Faun". Based in Montreal and Colorado and also a music
writer, Crust ended the evening with a colorful and vibrant presentation of the
Polovtsian Dances from Borodin’s "Prince Igor."
The musicians responded beautifully to all three different
personalities with polished and enthusiastic playing. While each conductor had
a distinctive way of communicating his intentions – Valentino with kinetic
energy, Boyles with technical precision, and Crust with fluid grace – any one
of them would be a fine addition to the HSO roster.
The generous spirit of HSO Music Director Carolyn Kuan, who
had just taken a voluntary pay cut commensurate with that of orchestra members
to reach a contract settlement, seemed to fill the Bushnell’s Belding Theater
with new hope for the bright future of this essential ensemble.
