Guest conductor persuasive with Rachmaninoff

ST. PETERSBURG -- Rachmaninoff's Third Symphony has never got much respect, so it was a pleasure to hear such a persuasive account of it by the Florida Orchestra, under guest conductor Dmitry Sitkovetsky, Saturday night at Mahaffey Theater. To be sure, it boasted Rachmaninoff's trademark sweeping string passages that can come uncomfortably close to Hollywood movie music, but it also had a lot of tricky time changes and shifts in mood that proved to be engrossing.

In a way, the symphony is like a concerto for orchestra, and it benefitted from the play of various combinations of principals, including James Wilson's horn solo to chords by harpist Anna Kate Mackle to begin the adagio. Harp was heard again to fine effect with other solos by flutist Demarre McGill, bass clarinetist Vicky Newcomb and Chris Mori on celesta. There was a nice French feel to sections of the score, as in the Ravel-like winds of the finale.

Sitkovetsky, a potential candidate to succeed outgoing music director Jahja Ling, presumably programmed the Rachmaninoff to put his best foot forward and the performance probably succeeded in that respect. However, it must also be said that the overall impression was one of suave elegance, not the edge-of-the-seat excitement generated by some concert-closing works led by other candidates, such as Pavel Kogan's Pictures at an Exhibition or Stefan Sanderling's Brahms Symphony No. 4.

Florida Orchestra audiences, as well as most of the musicians, will choose excitement over elegance every time.

Most impressive Saturday was Saint-Saens' Violin Concerto No. 3, with soloist Elmar Oliveira. Interestingly, even though Sitkovetsky is a renowned violinist, much in demand for concerto appearances, the Saint-Saens is not in his own solo repertoire. Still, as you would expect from someone who divides his time between conducting and playing concertos, he demonstrated great affinity for maintaining balance in the richly dramatic piece. With unobtrusive support by the orchestra, Oliveira gave a beautiful, virtuosic performance.

The wide dynamic contrasts of The Sorcerer's Apprentice, Dukas' tone poem made famous in Fantasia, were emphasized by Sitkovetsky. A crucial bassoon and contrabassoon passage was a bit muddy, but the big brass finish was perfect.

REVIEW: The Florida Orchestra repeats the program at 7:30 tonight at Ruth Eckerd Hall. Tickets: $20-$38.

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • Tampa Bay Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright