Louis Roney: Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra review

Saturday, Oct. 1, in the Bob Carr Theater, the Orlando Philharmonic opened its 2016-17 season with a bang! Suddenly the lights went out and the stage turned dark. It sounded like a transformer blew, but in a few minutes all was repaired, and the performance began.

The program opened with our national anthem as arranged by Igor Stravinsky. The result, thank goodness, was musically benign, and in no way insulting.

Then the orchestra got down to business with five selections from Sergei Prokofiev’s ballet suites 1 and 2 of “Romeo and Juliet.” Here, the OPO came into its own with clear bright high strings, clean pizzicato, low brass bellowing, a delicate “Dance of the Antilles Girls,” and a dashing “Death of Tybalt” at quite a pace. An auspicious beginning.

Maestro Eric Jacobsen, and violin soloist Steven Copes – concertmaster of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra – collaborated in comments about Alban Berg’s “Violin Concerto,” before playing the entire composition. These two gentlemen seemed to believe that the music could not speak for itself and was all that was needed. In truth, for me this music had little to say: lots of notes but scant music. It seems that, “one still can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.” Copes’ is a formidable artist, and I would have enjoyed hearing him in a more rewarding selection.

After intermission came the piéce de resistance, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4, a blockbuster for sure! Instrumental balance in this orchestra is notable, and strings, woodwinds and brass all played with much zest and gusto. Maestro Jacobsen set a blazing tempo for the finale and left the large audience standing and cheering.

Once again we rejoice at the abundant pleasure our fine orchestra brings us. Hope to see you at the concerts.