Photo by Randy Beach
Guest conductor Nicholas McGegan has been a regular presence at Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra for at least 15 years, I’m guessing. He is known as an interpreter of music of the 17th and 18th centuries, and his witty and joyful spirit was felt in all the music played on Friday evening.
It’s impressive that with only a bit of rehearsal McGegan can get MSO to sound credible in Baroque style, even if it’s still clear that it’s not the orchestra’s strong suit. McGegan’s attention to detail, with specific direction obviously given to the players in rehearsal regarding ornamentation and articulation, made George Frideric Handel’s Suite No. 2 from Water Music come to life.
I’m not sure why the concert was titled “Four Seasons,” because only two of the violin concertos by Antonio Vivaldi were played. Associate Concertmaster Ilana Setapen was featured soloist in the “Spring” and “Summer” concertos, and gave a wonderful account of this famous music. Setapen and the orchestra played the strong contrasts and drama in these scores (Vivaldi was an opera composer, after all) with some relish. The strings sounded a little unsettled, unaccustomed to blending with a light use of vibrato.
The orchestra was its best self in two symphonies by Franz Joseph Haydn. A prolific composer of symphonies, he is not programmed as often as one would think. Symphony No. 30 in C Major, composed in 1765, has elements of the Baroque still evident, which are gone in Symphony No. 94 in G Major, composed 25 years later. McGegan must emphasize specifics in rehearsal, but in performance the music is all about the longer phrase and its sweep. He has an irresistible way of making everything seem effortless and breezy. Best was the dance-like spirit of some of the movements of Symphony No. 94.
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Since this is my last review of the season, I want to state my longtime admiration for the playing of Danis Kelly, retiring principal harpist at MSO. And best wishes to principal bassoonist Ted Soluri, who is moving on to the Houston Symphony. I will miss hearing both of them.
