THE RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL

All-American concert filled with tension, excitement

Richard Lecomte
  

The musical themes of America presented Saturday night during the Reno Chamber Orchestra concert varied as greatly as the nation they tried to depict. The orchestra, performing at Nightingale Concert Hall at the University of Nevada, Reno, smoothly surveyed this jagged landscape under the direction of two -- count them, two -- conductors. The all-American-composer concert showed that music from the 20th and 21st centuries can be accessible and dynamic.

Joan Tower's "Made in America," a commission for several small orchestras throughout the nation, led off the evening. Tower herself conducted the orchestra through this pounding, tense, seismically turbulent piece. Her "America," part of the Ford Made in America program, seemed to portray a nation in upheaval -- it sounded like the soundtrack to the 2000 presidential election.

The orchestra's raw, breathy performance mostly succeeded; the percussion section and the strings stood out, as they explored the heightened tension and excitement of this music. I'd like to hear the piece again on a recording, but not when I'm trying to relax.

If Tower's piece riveted, Aaron Copland's "Appalachian Spring" Suite soothed. Conductor Carl Topilow took over the baton and led a somewhat smoother and more assured orchestra through a credible rendition of this remarkably familiar score. Indeed, I was humming it to myself -- not out loud, of course. The rural serenity and splendor of Copland's music contrasted strongly with Tower's angst.

In the second part of the program, Topilow, a remarkable clarinetist and founder of the Cleveland Pops, let loose. He launched the orchestra into a rousing rendition of "Hoedown" from Copland's "Rodeo." (Since those beef commercials, I can't listen to "Rodeo" without salivating.) Then Topilow started talking and playing -- he added warmth and humor to the evening. He soloed in selections from John Williams' scores for "Schindler's List" and "The Terminal," and he wrapped up the evening with a showy, expressive and winning interpretation of songs from "Porgy and Bess." But the highlight of the second half, contemporary composer Russell Peck's "Signs of Life II," allowed Topilow and the orchestra to take us playfully through many different emotions.

An encore? Of course -- Topilow nearly had the hall dancing to the bar theme from "Star Wars." I hope the concert will encourage the orchestra to perform even more contemporary music.