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Virtuosi end season brilliantly
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| NEW BRITAIN -- The Connecticut Virtuosi
Chamber Orchestra brought its season to a glorious close Friday
evening at First Church of Christ. Under Conductor Adrian
Mackiewicz, whose energy directs and consistently ins-pires the
musicians, the program was strictly for enjoyment. It included
Boccherini?s Sinfonia Op. 37 in D minor, Schubert?s Symphony No. 5
in B flat Major and featured Dmitri Novgorodsky, who received his
musical education in the former USSR and at Yale University,
performing Chopin?s Piano Concerto No.
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What a treat the Chopin was! Novgorodsky interpreted the work
with passion, exquisite simplicity and dazzling technique. After the
definitive opening piano statement, each note that cascaded from the
soloist?s fingers had its own translucent articulation and
joyfulness. The deceptively simple seeming tonalities of the Romanze
movement were of such sensitivity, expression and eloquence that it
was impossible not to be affected by Novgorodsky?s interpretation.
It has been the practice of Mackiewicz to present the work
of Polish composers in his concerts, and this combination was a
particularly happy choice. The guest artist played the work as
though he had written every note himself, and his virtuosity was so
great that beauty and clarity generated their own electricity.Those
who attended the concert, and there were several new faces in the
audience, can congratulate themselves that they heard Chopin played
as it should be, and possibly never better.
The Schubert
Fifth Symphony is a delightful work, full of pleasant, cheerful
combinations and themes.It brims over with good feelings, which were
interpreted with gusto by Mackiewicz , who throws himself into the
music, enticing his musicians to follow his pleasure in doing so.
The strings played with fine tonality, as did the woodwinds. This is
a finely knit, well-integrated orchestra, which responds with
quality and vigor to the vivid, creative leadership of
Mackiewicz.
The Boccherini was a pleasing, spirited work,
giving the woodwinds and strings some good opportunities for
melody.
The Concerti Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra has added in
three years an exciting new dimension to New Britain?s musical
legacy. Presenting concerts and soloists of the finest quality in
the easily accessible First Church, it can only grow in appeal,
stature and appreciation.
-- J.V.W.B.
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| ©The
Herald 2001 |
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