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| Soloist and Principal Flute, Linda Nielsen Korducki |
Here is our review from James Chaudoir of University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh
"Cold weather didn’t keep
devotees of the Fox Valley Symphony Orchestra away from their subscription
concert, “Celebrating Women Composers,” on Saturday night. The music selected
formed a rather eclectic program, spanning a wide range of musical history and
varying styles.
The concert opened with a
rendering of a 2008 composition by the American conductor/composer Diane
Wittry, titled “Mists.” Scored for full orchestra, the piece featured numerous
contrasting colors and emotions, from its dark opening, to its brass-laden
climax. While there were occasional moments of musical interest, in all, I
found the piece to be rather lackluster, and deficient in continuity.
The orchestra’s principal
flutist, Linda Nielsen Korducki, was featured soloist for the Concertino for
Flute and Orchestra in D major, by Cécile Chaminade.
From its familiar opening
melody, and through the technically advanced passages, Korducki demonstrated
her complete understanding of the music. She possesses a lovely tone, with
great strength in the low register, and balance throughout the flute’s entire
range. Her articulation was precise as were the rapid scales featured in the
concertino’s middle section.
A rich fullness was present
in the orchestral accompaniment; a nice balance, supporting, but never
overriding the prominent role of the flute. It was an absolute joy to hear this
time-honored work so beautifully played by an accomplished professional.
The crowning glory of the
evening, however, had to be the performance of the “Gaelic Symphony” by Amy
Beach. This 40-plus minute composition in four movements can truly be
recognized as one of the great symphonies in American musical history.
The orchestra played at its
best while closely adhering to conductor Brian Groner’s expert direction. The
color, harmony, thematic elements and sheer genius of orchestration technique
put this work in a class by itself.
The opening movement,
Allegro con fuoco, was filled with grand and heroic musical gestures. From the
beginning, Beach was able to show her familiarity with orchestration and color,
while reducing the full orchestra to many clearly defined solo passages. In the
case of the first movement, these were primarily found in the principal horn and
clarinet parts, expertly played by Bruce Atwell, principal horn, and
Christopher Zello, principal clarinet.
This idea of “featured”
solos continues into the second movement, Alla Siciliana; Allegro vivace, in
three part form, alternating from the lilt of the siciliano which emphasized
the winds, to a sprightly middle section calling attention to the strings.
The third movement, Lento
con molto espressione, with the emphasis on expressive. The highlight of this
movement was an extended violin solo played beautifully by concertmaster Yuliya
Smead. This solo concludes while being joined in duet with the principal cello,
again, well played by Laura Kenney Henckel. I can’t help but feel that the word
“gorgeous” best describes this movement.
The finale, Allegro di
molto, was filled with motion and rhythmic energy. It is in this movement where
Groner’s direction came to the fore. His tempos were exhilarating, and his
attention to detail brought out the very best that the score had to offer.
It
was evident that the orchestra was feeling the excitement of playing this
glorious symphony."
