KSO performance brings sense of celebration

The 29-year-old Robert Schumann wrote in 1839 that symphonies being written during his day, with the exception of Berlioz's "Symphonie Fantastique," were little more than pale imitations of Beethoven's symphonies.

This was, in part, because being inevitably compared with Beethoven's symphonic model, the task was too daunting.

But by 1841, he had partially changed his mind when he wrote a flurry of symphonic works, including his second symphony, "Symphony in D Minor," Op. 120. When the public didn't seem to like it, Schumann withdrew it because it lacked depth and substance. Schumann himself struggled with emotional stability.

In 1851, Schumann completed revising it and as the Knoxville Symphony's excellent performance of the revision showed Thursday night at the Tennessee Theatre, the new, thicker, darker sonorities added more than sufficient weight.

With the loss of transparency came a bolder driving force and deeper emotional intensity, most of which was balanced by a gorgeous violin solo played by concertmaster Mark Zelmanovich in the "Romanza" section.

Maestro Lucas Richman never allowed the music to bog down, especially in the energetic "Scherzo," driving the piece to a joyful, excited ending.

Mozart's "Requiem," on the other hand, isn't short on revisions either, although most of them are because of repeated attempts to complete it in the manner Mozart might have had he not died before he could finish.

The version of the "Requiem" performed as the second half of Thursday night's concert was the first one, completed by Franz Xaver Susmayr, Mozart's sometime copiest and confidant to Mozart's wife Constanze after Mozart's death. The Knoxville Choral Society and soloists soprano Jennifer Barnett, mezzo-soprano Lorraince DeSimone, tenor Andrew Skoog and bass-baritone Andrew Wentzel joined the KSO.

Again, beautiful management of his forces by Richman gave the performance a sense of deep satisfaction.

Although the clarity of diction of the choral sections might have been better, it was more than compensated for by superb singing by all four soloists.

Whether singing the short solo passages given to each, or in the well balanced moments singing as a quartet, they produced both lovely ensemble vocal music and distinct solos.

As a whole, imbedded in both the sections completed by Mozart and the sections left as sketches, was a deep sense of melancholy and sadness.

It's odd how such music, when as well executed as Thursday night's performance was, despite its intentions, leaves one with a sense of celebration.

Harold Duckett is a freelance contributor to the News Sentinel.

© 2010, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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