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Review: Quad-City Symphony guest conductor displays deft touch with preludes

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By Edwin L. Sizemore | Monday, March 3, 2008 12:59 AM CST | () comments

Guest conductor Mark Russell Smith, the fifth and final candidate for conductor and musical director of the Quad-City Symphony Orchestra, opened his concerts this weekend with two preludes, Wagner’s prelude to “Tristan und Isolde” and Debussy’s prelude to “L’Aprés-midi d’un Faune.”

Wagner’s work dates from 1865, and uses Wagner’s libretto, based upon the work of Gottfried von Strassburg, the 13th-century poet. The Debussy prelude was written in 1894, based upon a poem by the French symbolist poet, Stéphane Mallarmé. His poems do not translate easily into other languages, though they work quite well in the universal language of music. Recall that music is too precise for words.

Smith wished to impress upon the audience the “compare and contrast” aspects of the two preludes, so he performed them back-to-back, with no pause (and no applause!). The Wagner is German, the Debussy is French, but both have similar structures and make use of silences — a most important part of music — in a similar manner.

Debussy does not use “Tristan melody” or “Tristan harmony;” he does use his palette to weave beautiful tonal colors and textures. Smith’s essay into audience education was a success — the two preludes complimented each other like a cameo and intaglio. Gerald Carey’s deft handling of the flute solo with which the Debussy work began set the tone for the fine performance.

The 79-year-old Alexander Grigorevich Arutiunian represents a long line of fine composers and musicians from Armenia. Better-known to Americans would be “Aram Khachaturian (Sabre Dance),” and the Armenian-American Alan Hovhaness, as well as the Armenian-French singer, George Aznevour. Armenia, the first Christian nation, has a culture some 4,500 years old. Armenia became independent of the USSR in 1991; the trumpet Concerto dates from 1950, while Stalin was still in power.

Guest artist David Bilger offered a masterful rendition of this difficult trumpet concerto, and received a standing ovation for his efforts. The Arutiunian “Trumpet Concerto” is a delightful blend of virtuosity and lovely melodies. This work will surely take its place alongside the great trumpet works by Purcell, Haydn, Bach, Vivaldi, Hindemith and others.

After intermission, Smith gave us selections from Prokofiev’s “Romeo and Juliet, op. 64.” Written as a ballet in 1935, but not well-received (and not even performed), it was formed into concert suites and performed as an orchestral work. Smith selected several movements of the ballet, which well represents the great love story that is “Romeo and Juliet.” The Adler Theatre audience showed its appreciation with sustained applause and a near-unanimous standing ovation.

The city desk can be contacted at (563) 383-2450 or newsroom@qctimes.com.