Oberlin wind ensemble delivers quality

Orchestra plays to a small audience

Only a select few were on hand Thursday evening to hear the Oberlin Wind Ensemble's first concert of the semester, and while attendance was rather low the quality of performance certainly was not. As is typical of the Wind Ensemble's concerts, the featured works were of widely different styles ranging from late classical to mid-20th century.

The concert got off to a rather slow start with an early work of Felix Mendelssohn, the "Notturno Op. 24." Composed in 1824 when Mendelssohn would have been at most 15 years old, it is a pleasant lyrical piece scored for a small complement of woodwinds, two horns and trumpet. The opening slow section featured some lovely duos within each section, but the overall ensemble precision and rhythmic unity seemed slightly off the mark. The slow section also highlighted some minor although unfortunate intonation discrepancies between the woodwinds and brass. The faster final portion of the piece was more convincing and the ensemble unity was improved. Phrasing and dynamic shaping were good although even more dynamic contrast would not have hurt. As usual Tim Weiss's conducting was clear and precise if not slightly understated.

Clarity and precision of conducting were no doubt helpful in the performance of the following selection, a 20th-century work by American composer Leon Kirchner, the Concerto for Violin, Cello, Ten Winds and Percussion (1960). This challenging modernist piece featured Conservatory junior Nick Photinos on cello and Conservatory senior Ilana Blumberg on violin as soloists. The first movement began with a short pointillistic introduction from the winds, after which the violin entered with a contrasting lyrical melody. This was soon joined by cello and a dialogue ensued between the three sections of the ensemble: winds, percussion and string soloists. The contrast between brief three- and four-note fragmented motives in the winds and percussion versus longer melodic lines in the soloists characterized both movements of the work. The second movement, although marked Adagio, seemed in many ways more temporally active, particularly due to coordination between rhythms in the percussion and winds.

Blumberg's playing was excellent: well in time and in tune and with exemplary tone. Photinos was no less impressive, providing the appropriate rhythmic incisiveness for the demanding cello solo. Some particularly intense moments included a passage with gong and the two solo strings as well as the intense climactic conclusion of the final movement. While quite a contrast to the Mendelssohn and perhaps a less easily accessible piece, the excellent solo work and precision of winds and percussion provided quite a bit more excitement than the slightly sleepy Notturno .

A brief pause allowed preparation of the stage for the final piece, the Symphonic Metamorphosis written in 1943 by Paul Hindemith. This powerful piece featured a full complement of over 30 wind players and six percussionists. This four movement work is based on melodies of early romantic composer Carl Maria von Weber. In his later years Hindemith became dedicated to the use of the tonal system within his own carefully constructed compositional framework, and this piece is clear evidence of that. Each movement featured a different melody and in some cases several melodies, which were repeated over and over in various contexts and states of chromatic transformation. Every section of the ensemble from flutes to tubas had important melodic roles as the lines passed from section to section. The second movement was particularly interesting as the initial melody was transformed into an almost jazzy refrain and then placed in a complex contrapuntal texture. The slow third movement created a relaxed yet slightly morose mood with the intertwining minor mode melodies. In contrast the fourth and final movement was rousing and at times loud enough to overpower just about any string orchestra. The full brass section with no less than two tubas was impressive in this final movement. For those who might have found the Kirchner too impenetrable, the Hindemith would have satisfied them, providing a spirited conclusion to this concert.

In harmony: Wind ensemble plays Finney (photo by Richard Hong)