By Christine Facciolo
You may not
know his name, but chances are you’ve heard his music, especially if you’re a
film buff. Miklos Rozsa (1907-1995) was a Hungarian-American composer best
known for his film scores. Rozsa’s Hollywood career earned him considerable
success and recognition, including 17 Oscar nominations and three wins for “Spellbound”
(1945), “A Double Life” (1947) and “Ben-Hur” (1959).
Rozsa also
remained faithful to his classical music roots with his compositions earning
the plaudits of the likes of Jascha Heifetz, Gregor Piatigorsky and Janos
Starker, who commissioned the work played this night.
The orchestra eased
into the evening with a performance of Respighi’s highly descriptive symphonic
poem the “Fountains of Rome.” Composed in 1916, the work remains a fine example
of the brilliance with which Respighi uses the resources of the orchestra.
(That’s not surprising since he was a student of Rimsky-Korsakov, who wrote the
book on orchestration, both literally and figuratively).
The DSO
invested its performance which much skill and care. The first movement, The Valle Guilia Fountain at Dawn,
conveyed a distinctly bucolic tone, while the buoyancy of The Triton Fountain
in the Morning conjured up images of water spouts. The solemnity of The Trevi
Fountain at Mid-Day soon gave way to euphoria reminiscent of a classic Hollywood film score. The
Villa Medici Fountain at Sunset provided a pastoral conclusion with notable
contributions from the woodwinds. The expressive playing led to a distant
tolling of a bell — in this instance one of the Kerrigan Bells of Remembrance —
heralding the ebb of the music.
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| Cellist Nicholas Canellakis. Photo courtesy of artist. |
Rozsa’s Cello
Concerto, Op. 32 offered another palette, not to mention tangy harmonies and
the rhythmic flair of the composer’s native Hungarian language. The first
movement full of strong ideas and a cadenza of riveting virtuosity. By
contrast, the central movement is lyrical and tinged with anguish. The final
movement bristles with energy and — once again — rhythmic élan.
This is a stout, boldly communicative work that deserves and demands to be heard much more
often. Kudos to DSO Music Director David Amado for programming it and to virtuoso
cellist Nicholas Canellakis for learning it for this concert. (The work is so
well-hidden that not even the majority of cellists know it exists.)
Canellakis is a
highly articulate soloist who not only performs the music; he inhabits it. His
impeccable technique enables him to remain confident and in control while
executing the fiendishly difficult passages Rozsa throws at him (and there are
many). That composure allows him to convert pyrotechnics into phrases that are
rich in beauty and meaning.
The audience
responded by breaking decorum with applause between movements. After three
curtain calls, Canellakis obliged with a performance of the Sarabande from J.S.
Bach’s Cello Suite, No. 1 in G major.
Following
intermission, DSO Board Chairman Charles Babcock honored philanthropists Gerret
and Tatiana Copeland for their support of the orchestra. Mrs. Copeland told the
audience that she and her husband had their first date at The Grand. She also
told the heartfelt story of how Rachmaninoff — “Uncle Sergei” to her — supported
her family during a financial crisis.
The DSO’s
rendering of the composer’s final symphony was equally heartfelt. Amado caught
all the passion of the first movement while simultaneously retaining its lyrical
qualities, defined the poetic elements of the second movement and concluded the
symphony with all the energy and enthusiasm a finale deserves.
