Orchestra salutes contemporary composers

Concert review


The first concert of the year by the New West Symphony focused on American composers of the 20th century in an innovative and colorful palette of moods and melodies.

Music director Boris Brott always likes to put a personal spin on his programs, and Saturday night’s offering in the Fred Kavli Theater at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Center was no exception.

The opening piece was Leonard Bernstein’s delightful overture to “Candide,” the comic operetta based on Voltaire’s satirical novel. Brott mentored under Bernstein during the conductor’s final years. The orchestra’s crisp and vibrant performance of the overture—like Voltaire’s work: fast-moving, sometimes erratic, but always exciting—got the concert off to a rousing start.

Although known mainly for his choral works, composer Randall Thompson also wrote three symphonies. The programming of Thompson’s Symphony No. 2 in E Minor, coming directly after the “Candide” overture, wasn’t accidental: Leonard Bernstein was one of Thompson’s students at Harvard. Bernstein honored his mentor by performing the symphony in his debut as a conductor with the Tanglewood Festival Orchestra in 1940.

Completed in 1931, the Second Symphony is a work of varying moods. It begins with a lively first movement, which is contrasted by the succeeding movement, a sublime largo featuring romantic melodies by the oboe and flute. Following this is a whimsical scherzo, filled with animated antics in the woodwinds, whose playful dissonances make the piece sound like the soundtrack for a Warner Brothers cartoon. The concluding movement features two slower sections that bookend a spirited allegro.

Although it was enthusiastically received when it made its debut, the symphony has since inexplicably fallen into obscurity. Bravo to Maestro Brott for reviving this long-neglected masterpiece of 20th century music.

The appetizers for the second half of the concert were two dance episodes from Aaron Copland’s ballet “Rodeo”: “Saturday Night Waltz” and “Hoedown,” the latter featuring an exuberant Brott bouncing up and down on his podium as if he himself were astride an obstreperous bronco.

Following this were two works featuring celebrated 25year-old violinist Lindsay Deutsch. Dressed in a shimmering silver gown, Deutsch performed three pieces from John Williams’ masterful score to the film “Schindler’s List.” (Deutsch was once selected to perform the piece at a gala dinner honoring Williams.)

Evocative and ravishingly melancholy, the score, especially its famous theme, bring to mind such Russian works as Tchaikovsky’s “Serenade Melancolique.” Deutsch played the three themes with great passion and emotion, swaying back and forth as if she were davening for the salvation of the tormented Jewish people depicted in the film.

As the last note of the “Theme” faded away, Brott kept his hands raised, not lowering them until the silence had enveloped the theater for a final few poignant seconds.

The final work of the evening was “Fantasy for Violin and Orchestra on Themes from ‘Porgy and Bess’” by George Gershwin. The arrangement, by “Star Trek” composer Alexander Courage, is an expertly woven fabric of the famous melodies from Gershwin’s 1935 folk opera. Courage originally arranged the work for violinist Joshua Bell but Deutsch has since made this a regular piece in her repertoire as well.

With the concluding notes of the uplifting “O Lawd, I’m on My Way,” Deutsch and the New West Symphony sent the audience home spiritually fulfilled. The only disappointment was that Deutsch did not return for an encore, a ritual that has been de rigueur for New West guest artists.

For future programs, visit www .newwestsymphony.org or call (800) NEW-WEST for tickets.


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