REVIEW: ANCHORAGE SYMPHONY

Posted by arts_reviews

Posted: May 3, 2009 - 6:50 am

Comments (0) |

By MAIA NOLAN

The Anchorage Symphony Orchestra finished its season Saturday night with a performance of two works by classical masters: Mozart’s Symphony No. 36 and Brahms’s “Ein Deutsches Requiem” (“A German Requiem”). Music director Randall Fleischer returned to conduct the final concert of the season, which ended (if you’ll excuse the pun) on a high note.

The Mozart opened with a buttery-sounding adagio, which led into a crisp, clean, high-energy allegro spiritoso. There was an unusually high number of latecomers Saturday night, and Fleischer took a very long pause before launching into the second movement. The remainder of the Mozart was performed without incident. The double reeds, which frequently doubled the strings, sounded exceptionally nice, and the low strings provided a solid, steady foundation throughout the piece.

The symphony was joined for the Brahms by the Anchorage Concert Chorus, the Alaska Chamber Singers, and two soloists: soprano Anita Johnson and baritone Grant Youngblood.

Johnson and Youngblood were wonderful to watch; they both clearly enjoyed themselves, even when they weren’t singing. Youngblood has a rich, clear baritone, and Johnson is beautifully expressive and articulate. It was a shame they didn’t get to sing more, but the Brahms requiem relies far more on the chorus than the soloists.

I was impressed, as I generally am when the symphony collaborates with these choral groups, by the extent to which the orchestra and the choir manage to sound at times like a single body rather than a collection of individual voices and instruments. Fleischer managed the Requiem’s dynamic changes well, and the sound swelled and faded evenly and organically, rising in the second movement in particular to a wall of sound that even Phil Spector would envy.

The Brahms was not without flaw. There were a few moments in the first movement at which the sopranos, climbing above the staff, sounded as though they were straining to reach those high notes; it might have been wise to cut back some voices at those times. As the orchestra worked its way into the later movements, there were a few minor missteps from the woodwinds. The off moments, however, were far overshadowed by the Requiem’s overall polish, and the evening was delightful.

My experience was marred only by the indescribable rudeness of the woman seated behind me, who was actually rude enough to take a call on her mobile phone during the third movement of the Brahms. Madam, I hope you are reading, because I have something to say to you: It doesn’t matter whether your whisper to your caller that you “can’t talk right now”; talking on the phone during a performance is the utmost display of disrespect not only for your fellow concertgoers, but for the performers who have labored to bring their art to the stage. If you are so terribly important that you can’t turn your phone off for two hours to enjoy the symphony, I am told that the box office will monitor your device for you.

Or you could always just stay home and let the rest of us enjoy the music in peace.

login or register to post comments