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| VSO Plays Its Heart
Out For Tamarkin Finale Jim Lowe, Times Argus Arts Editor The Times Argus March 22, 1999 _____________________ Music Review Tamarkin has always been
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BURLINGTON - It wasn't the audience that was the most enthusiastic,
though it offered a thunderous standing ovation, nor was it the Vermont
Symphony Orchestra Chorus, though its performance was powerful and touching.
It was the members of the VSO that played their hearts out for Kate Tamarkin
at her last concert as music director, Saturday night at the Flynn Theatre.
As a parting gift, the orchestra gave a beautiful and heartfelt performance of Edward Elgar's beautiful but difficult 1899 "Enigma" Variations, Op. 36. Tamarkin and the orchestra achieved a new high with a clean but lyrical and romantic performance of a work that seems a logical progression of Brahms. Each of the 14 parts of the work has a distinct character, ranging from the light-as-a-feather Allegro (II) to the deliberate Allegro di Molto (IV) to the expressiveness of the Presto (VII) to the witty Allegro di Molto (XI). Bit it was in the middle Adagio (IX) that epitomized the work, beginning with an unusual combination of intensity and tenderness that grow to explode in rich, glorious sound. |
| Tamarkin has always been especially good with
works that demand a cleanness of line, but here she managed to combine
that with a free romantic lyricism that made the work flow and grow.
The players were at their best, and strings and winds came together for
a virtually seamless and ultimately moving performance -- and the audience
was duly impressed.
Tamarkin and VSO were joined by Robert De Cormier's VSO Chorus in a striking and beautiful performance of 20th century French composer Francis Poulenc's 1961 Gloria, commissioned by the Koussevitzky Foundation for the Boston Symphony. The work for soprano, chorus and orchestra, taken from the Roman Catholic Mass, gets its power and bite from spicy harmonies and rhythms under a seemingly tonal surface. Here again Tamarkin's ability to deliver clean structure and lines, despite a lack of romantic lyricism, gave the performance real power. Soprano Gale Limansky, though not particularly lyrical, used incredible control -- singing all but inaudibly to full voice -- adding to the performance's power. The chorus was in fine mettle, offering a clean and warm blend of sounds, as well as the all-important distinct attacks. They too were singing their hearts out for Tamarkin. The concert opened with an unusual work, Ralph Vaughan Williams' 1938 "serenade to Music," in the version for 16 solo voices and orchestra. The lush, lyrical late Romantic work sets the words of Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice," "how sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank! etc.," to music. De Cormier's well-known choral skill came into play as he ably chose members of the VSO chorus for the right part for each voice. (This may seem obvious, but it seldom happens this way.) Even Limansky participated when there was a need for a powerful voice. Tamarkin led the VSO, including particularly beautiful violin solos by acting concertmaster Susan Demetris-Dundon, in a rich and warmly beautiful performance. It was clear the the audience and orchestra will miss Tamarkin -- as much as they are excited by the naming of one of the world's top string players and musicians, Jaime Laredo, as conductor and artistic advisor. |
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