Concert review: Orchestra opens 2011-12 classics season with James Ehnes.
The customary grouping of overture, concerto and symphony remains the fallback position for most orchestral concerts today, but the Oklahoma City Philharmonic opted instead for an operatic prelude, a tone poem, a set of dances and a concerto for its 2011-12 season opener.
It was a fine mix that showcased the orchestra's myriad individual and collective strengths, from beautifully rendered solos and sparkling coloristic displays to bold fanfares and powerful sonorities. There were a few missteps along the way as well, but that's not unusual after a three-month hiatus.
This concert also featured a new seating arrangement for the brass, with horns, tuba, trombones and trumpets placed along the back wall of the shell. It's unclear whether this is a permanent or temporary change.
The Prelude to Act III of Wagner's “Lohengrin” was a fine curtain raiser that showed the composer at his most unbuttoned, with plenty of drama resulting from bold gestures and imposing fanfares. The “Lohengrin” prelude also provided a nice segue into Liszt's tone poem “Les Preludes” (Wagner being Liszt's son-in-law), the best known of the composer's 13 essays in this form.
At times, Joel Levine seemed to want greater freedom in regard to tempo, but the orchestra didn't always respond with its usual pliability. Such issues still didn't prevent “Les Preludes” from making a fine impression, with its swirling textures and grand climax impressively conveyed.
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