Jacksonville Symphony offers hope in season opener
Timothy Tuller For The Times-Union
The Jacksonville Symphony launched its 2020-2021 concert season — and first concert since the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak — Saturday evening with "Fanfare! Opening Night 2020."
Music Director Courtney Lewis and the Jacksonville Symphony joined forces with Grammy Award-winning violinist James Ehnes in a program featuring two beloved orchestral staples alongside a brand-new composition by one of the symphony's own.
The concert opened with "River City Fanfare" by Piotr Szewczyk. Szewczyk has been a member of the Jacksonville Symphony's first violin section since 2007 and is an accomplished composer.
It was refreshing to see the season kicked off with a piece written by not only a local, but by a performing member of the symphony. "River City Fanfare" was a vivacious and enjoyable curtain raiser that set an upbeat mood for the evening.
Second on the program was Felix Mendelssohn's "Violin Concerto in E minor." Soloist Ehnes bit into the work with confidence and poise from the very first bars. His virtuosity was a given, but what impressed me most was his ability to project moments of the greatest intimacy and subtlety all the way to the back of the hall.
Every nuance, every finely sculpted phrase was crystal clear. Even from the Grand Tier it sounded and felt like he was only steps away. He also managed to project the quicksilver passages of the last movement with the kind of unforced, elfin lightness that Mendelssohn demands.
As we have come to expect during concertos, Lewis and the symphony provided precise, supportive collaboration.
The final portion of the evening began with what are sure surely the most recognized opening notes in all of classical music. If ever there was a piece to symbolize the return of an orchestra after an uncertain time of sabbatical, it is Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 in C minor.
The symphony was played with great verve and enthusiasm, returning to its full strength. The string section proved it hasn't lost its warmth and sheen, but for this listener, the standout passages belonged to the horns and oboe. With crisp precision and sense of ensemble, it was clear everyone was attentive to both the conductor and each other. The entrances and cut-offs were all rock solid and together.
"Fanfare! Opening Night 2020" marked a triumphant return for the Jacksonville Symphony during a very difficult and uncertain time for performing arts organizations around the world.
It was clear a lot of thought and work went in to designing the safety parameters and protocols used by the symphony and Times-Union Center. Seating was limited. Masks were required at all times, and there was no intermission.
Regardless, there was a palpable sense of hope and optimism from both orchestra and audience throughout the evening. The orchestra has limited how many players can share the stage at any one time, and this of course limits the repertoire they can present right now.
To make these "socially distant" concerts work, the season's programming had to be altered significantly. Huge kudos for the Jacksonville Symphony having the organizational agility to navigate successfully through these unique challenges. The orchestra returned in fine form, a bright light in a difficult time, and I hope and anticipate continued success with this format throughout the year.
Classical music reviewer Timothy Tuller is canon for music at St. Johns Cathedral.