Gerard Schwarz made the most of his return engagement with the Vancouver Symphony, leading the orchestra in a vivid concert of music by American composers. It was a superbly shaped program, covering works by George Gershwin, Samuel Jones, Valerie Coleman, Howard Hanson, and the maestro himself. His son, Julian Schwarz, put an emphatic stamp on two numbers that featured the cello, impressing this reviewer and the full house at Skyview Concert Hall on April 23rd.
Pouring heart and soul and something extra into his playing, Julian Schwarz terrifically conveyed the depth and beauty of “In Memoriam,” which his father wrote in response to the death of David Tonkonogui, a cellist in the Seattle Symphony and his son’s first cello teacher. Starting in the basement register of the cello, Julian crafted a lament that had warmth and gravitas. The woodwinds briefly supported him with a sound that was similar to a harmonium or small organ. There was a bit of a lifting of the spirit before the music returned to the depths of the solo cello.
A melodic thread from “In Memoriam” provided some connective tissue to Samuel Jones’s Cello Concerto which followed. I didn’t hear that thread, but it didn’t matter, because Julian played the piece with mesmerizing conviction and artistry. He excelled in every facet of the piece, including vigorous, descending lines and wild, quicksilver passages with double-stops. Rich, legato sections were interrupted by sudden outburst, and it all flowed seamlessly. Elegant echoing phrases between Julian and principal cellist Dieter Ratzlaf dissolved into a final cadenza that propelled Julian to the finale, which involved punchy, accented interjections from the orchestra.
Julian played both pieces impressively from memory, and the father-son combo was totally in sync throughout both pieces. Augmented by solid playing from the orchestra, both pieces resonated with the audience, which responded enthusiastically with a standing ovation.
Another contemporary work that connected very well with listeners was Valerie Coleman’s “Seven O’Clock Shout.” It was a reflection by Coleman on the bravery of hospital staff and other front-line workers during the pandemic. The one-movement piece opened with a gentle harmonic line that gave the impression of time passing by normally, but after the piccolo (Darren Cook) introduced a new theme, it was picked up by everyone else in the orchestra and culminates in joyous shouting, banging on buckets, and blaring brass – emulating the time of day (seven o’clock) when people throughout the nation would create noise to honor all those treating and dealing with COVID-19. The audience responded with cheers to this evocative, short work.
The orchestra generated a glorious performance of Howard Hanson’s Symphony No. 2 (“Romantic”), delving into its many melodic theme with gusto. The horns, led by principal Dan Partridge, had a field day, fashioning very appealing sonorous statements. Rising motifs, fanfares, solo spots for woodwinds, thrumming basses, bucolic interludes, rumbling contrabassoon, lithe strings, and echoing calls between the lower brass and the horns gave this piece a marvelous collage-like quality that was painted with masterly brush strokes by Gerard Schwarz.
George Gershwin’s “American in Paris” kicked off the concert with a light step. I especially enjoyed hearing the four taxi-horns, which, from a distance gleamed like beer taps. The orchestra aptly created the impression of an American on the streets of Paris during the 1920s. The slightly bluesy section, depicting a bout of homesickness, also worked very well. Amidst the applause from all corners of the hall, Schwarz especially recognized the contributions of concertmaster Eva Richey, principal violist Angelika Furtwangler, principal trumpeter Bruce Dunn, and the trombone section.
Gerard Schwarz will return in early August to lead the orchestra in the inaugural Vancouver USA Arts & Music Festival. He will split podium duties with the orchestra’s music director, Salvador Brotons. With guest violinist Anne Akiko Myers and pianist Orli Shaham, the concerts should be a blast.
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