Saturday, May 2, 2015

Maestro Richman's Final Bijou Concert

It must be May, because music is flying at me and out of me in all directions. Between last Sunday (Il trovatore) and this coming Sunday's Chamber Orchestra concert, I will have had six completely different performances of various genres. I am happy just to have brought the right music, the right instrument, and the right attire. Next week is much easier, only three different performances...

And now more about that Knoxville Symphony Chamber Orchestra concert, 2:30 Sunday at the Bijou. Maestro Lucas Richman's Bijou Theatre farewell will be a concert of masterpieces from the chamber orchestra and wind band literature; Richard Strauss' Serenade in E-flat for 13 Winds, William Schuman's Symphony for Strings, and Brahms' Serenade No. 1 in D. On the surface the program appears to be all-German, but remember this is mid-20th-century American composer William Schuman, with one “N”, not Robert with two.

The Strauss Serenade holds a special place in my heart, because I don't have to play it! But seriously, if you take Mozart's Wind Serenades and kind of give them a small dose of complexity, you'll have an idea of what to expect here. It's an early work, nestled between the Cello Sonata and the momentous First Horn Concerto. It's always a rare treat to LISTEN to a piece of music at work, and our winds ROCK!

Next comes the William Schuman. Although his music has been more in the mainstream in the past, it has for some sad reason become less frequently heard. Known for his orchestration of Ives' Variations on “America” for organ, his Credendum: Article of Faith was performed here under Kirk Trevor in October of 1992, oddly enough coupled with ROBERT Schumann's 2nd Symphony. Wow, tough night for the violins. ANYway, the striking harmonies and excitable rhythms of this String Symphony should wipe away any doubt of Schuman's presence in the upper echelon of 20th-century American composers.


Brahms' op. 11 Serenade (like the Strauss, a youthful work) which closes the concert, is pure bliss. A symphony in all but its title, you can literally hear him develop as the work progresses. The first Scherzo forecasts the theme of his 2nd Piano Concerto's Scherzo in an eery way, but all six movements are drop-dead gorgeous and iconic. I played this work before I played any of the Brahms symphonies, heck, I thought they were all this good! Fusing together the separated camps of woodwinds and strings that performed on the first half of the concert is an ingenious programming touch that is typical of the classy details for which Maestro Richman will be missed. We hope YOU are not missed on Sunday afternoon, come on out!

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