OVERNIGHT REVIEW: Rio Hondo Symphony opens 79th season

By Robert D. Thomas
Music Critic
Pasadena Star-News/San Gabriel Valley Tribune/Whittier Daily News
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Rio Hondo Symphony; Kimo Furumoto, conductor; Alison Edwards, piano
Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 (Eroica)
Rossini: William Tell Overture; Liszt: Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-flat Major
Sunday, Sept. 25, 2011 • Vic Lopez Auditorium (Whittier High School)
Next concert: Oct. 30
Information: www.riohondosymphony.org
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When Kimo Furumoto was named music director of the Rio Hondo Symphony three years ago and announced “The Beethoven Project” — wherein the orchestra would play all nine of the composer’s symphonies, one a year — it seemed obvious that this year would be the first real test. Although the first two symphonies are not easy to play, the Symphony No. 3 is one of the monuments of symphonic literature, a 50-minute work that can challenge the best ensembles.

Thus it’s no surprise that at yesterday’s concert — the opening event in the RHS’s 79th season — the community orchestra gave a valiant, albeit troubled effort of the mighty Eroica. Fortunately, the balance of the concert proved to be more satisfying for the large crowd that showed up at Whittier High School’s Vic Lopez Auditorium.

Whether Furumoto helped his orchestra or the audience by scheduling the symphony as the program’s opening work is debatable. The players were certainly freshest at that point and given that they seemed to tire noticeably in the final two movements, that was probably foremost in the conductor mind, but it made for an unusual alignment. Furthermore, Furumoto elected to talk briefly before each of the first three movements, thus hampering the work’s continuity and flow.

On the podium, Furumoto was very fussy in his gestures and took the first movement at a brisk clip. There was little grandeur in “Funeral March” second movement and the final two movements plodded inexorably to the end. The orchestra had moments when they played nicely and others where they seemed overmatched by Beethoven — not the first orchestra to suffer that fate.

After intermission, Furumoto came on stage wearing a white hat, black mask and red bandana, all of which brought a big laugh from the audience. The reason, of course, was Rossini’s William Tell Overture, whose final section includes the theme music for the long-ago radio and television show The Lone Ranger. I found it interesting that neither the printed program nor Furumoto actually explained the allusion; given the average age of the audience perhaps no one figured it was necessary but there was a big laugh of recognition when Trumpeter Chris Price launched into the famous theme, which seemed to indicate that not everyone understood the joke.

If the William Tell overture shows up at all these days it’s usually outdoors, so it was nice of Furumoto to program it in a hall with at least somewhat reasonable acoustics. Aside from the fact that many of the themes beyond The Long Ranger were staples of American television cartoons in the 1950s — the overture’s lack of play is regrettable because it’s actually an inventive piece that spotlights many of the orchestra’s principals. Kudos to Price, Cellist Carolyn Litchfield, the wind principals — Laura Stone, oboe, Laurel Myers-McKenzie, flute, Anne Young, clarinet, and Eric Johnson, bassoon — and the brass section for shining in the performance.

Putting the Eroica at the beginning of the program meant that the finale was Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-flat major, which ended up making a satisfying conclusion (the concerto also took note of the composer's bicentennial, which takes place on Oct. 22). The concert’s theme was “Heroes” and Furumoto took the time to note that Liszt’s heroic gesture was to give up his fabled concert career to become a teacher. Furumoto then asked the teachers in the audience to stand and be recognized as modern-day heroes (the number of those who rose was impressive) — a nice touch.

Alison Edwards (who, like the conductor, teaches at Cal State Fullerton) was the soloist. She luxuriated in the poetic portions and, some smudges aside, was impressive in the bravura sections, as well. Furumoto did his best to follow her willful tempo shifts (which wasn’t easy). The orchestra accompanied with gusto.
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(c) Copyright 2011, Robert D. Thomas. All rights reserved. Portions may be quoted with attribution.

Comments

[meditative music]

I can say its one of the mystifying theme i've heard.