Violinist Jennifer Frautschi gave a masterful performance of the Violin Concerto by Jean Sibelius with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and conductor Philip Mann on Saturday night at Little Rock's Robinson Center. It was a fine curtain-raiser for the orchestra's 2017-18 season, its 51st.
Frautschi, though not note perfect, successfully muscled her way through the piece's many challenges, technical and musical, particularly earning her paycheck -- as well as a standing ovation -- via a highly pleasing and very exciting third movement. Balance between soloist and orchestra was superb throughout, sometimes better than it was within the orchestra.
The performance of Johannes Brahms' titanic c-minor Symphony No. 1 was perhaps less than titanic. Mann, seeking -- and getting -- dynamic effect, tinkered with tempos throughout, slowing cadences to create distinct transitions, especially in the first movement, but again in the still-thrilling last. Tempos in the middle movements, however, were substantially slow -- the "Andante sostenuto" second movement was closer to adagio and the "Poco allegretto" third movement was closer to andante.
Mann got things "going" with Go, a delightfully catchy, rhythmically "driven," racetrack-inspired piece by ASO Composer of the Year Adam Schoenberg. It followed the traditional playing of the national anthem; a few audience members sat but nobody that I could see took a knee.
Frautschi, Mann and the orchestra repeat the concert at 3 p.m. today, at Robinson, 426 W. Markham St. (at Broadway), Little Rock. Frautschi, this season's ASO "Artist of Distinction," also will play works by J.S. Bach and Peter Tchaikovsky, 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Clinton Presidential Center, 1200 President Clinton Ave., Little Rock, to open the orchestra's River Rhapsodies Chamber Music Series.
Ticket information is available by calling (501) 666-1761, extension 100, or online at arkansassymphony.org.
Metro on 10/01/2017