Reviewed by Courtenay Caublé, The Ridgefield Press

A packed house and nearly unprecedented audience enthusiasm at the Ridgefield Symphony’s Rogers and Hammerstein celebration last Saturday evening at the Anne Richardson auditorium were impressive testimony to the drawing power for Ridgefield audiences of Broadway musical favorites. The attraction is more than doubled, of course, when the favorites are showcased with the sort of pizzazz that enlivened the RSO’s fourth concert this season.

With multi-talented Maestro Gerald Steichen on the podium, the program offered orchestral selections (The Carousel Waltz as an opener and a Rogers and Hammerstein Interlude-Overture to start the second half) and vocal solos and duets from The King and I, Carousel, Oklahoma!, South Pacific, and The Sound of Music by the evening’s guest stars, Nat Chandler (familiar from a similar RSO program last season) and Teri Hansen, both of them dramatic vocalists with rich Broadway experience.

Chandler and Hansen were engaging both vocally and dramatically in an overall performance enhanced by what amounted to professional choreography. Ms. Hansen was charming and lively, first in a beautiful form-clinging, sparkling silver gown and later in an equally lovely but less formal dark blue outfit, and Mr. Chandler was top flight in every way – engagingly charismatic, with a rich vocal quality, expressive and flexible delivery, and star-quality dramatic control.

Never flagging in audience appeal, the program moved right along from one musical highlight to another towards a memorable conclusion, with both singers bringing their audience in with participatory involvement for “Do-Re-Mi” from The Sound of Music and the title song from Oklahoma!

It was the kind of musical presentation that surely must have left its audience remembering and humming familiar tunes and smiling (even the day after) and looking forward to more musical evenings like it in future RSO seasons.

Reviewed by Courtenay Caublé, The Ridgefield Press

With Music Director Gerald Steichen on the podium, Brahms and Christmas shared the stage at Ridgefield High School's Anne S. Richardson Auditorium last Saturday evening for the Ridgefield Symphony's third concert this season. Brahms was represented by his Variations on a Theme of Haydn and his Symphony No. 2 in D Major, and Christmas was celebrated in advance with Tchaikovsky's perennially favorite Nutcracker Suite and (as surprise closing dessert treats) by a group of Ridgefield Chorale choristers with a delightfully frolicsome version of Jingle Bells and by the orchestra and it's maestro (all in red and white Santa Clause hats) with an equally playful arrangement of "Walking in a Winter Wonderland."

A favorite of mine, the Brahms Variations on a Theme of Haydn is a masterfully crafted work that cries out for quite a lot of rehearsal (and learning) time to afford it the sort of performance quality needed for clearly defining its varied moods. The central "St. Anthony" theme was beautifully intoned by a choir of woodwinds and brass; but in spite of Maestro Steichen's clear direction, the overall effect came through (to me at least) more like a good read-through than a polished performance -- perhaps an endorsement for a shorter, less weighty concert opener as a warm-up for orchestra and audience.

The rest of the program was complete compensation, though. When he first took over as the RSO's Music Director, Maestro Steichen determined to cover all four of Johannes Brahms's symphonies in his first four seasons with the orchestra; and Saturday evening's performance of the melody-rich Second Symphony completed the cycle. And it was a notable conclusion. With a loving understanding of the work, Steichen was in complete control from the first note to the last; and the orchestra was his responsive instrument. Everything was as it should be, but the lovely third movement, with its gentle interplay between woodwinds and strings, was especially fine, as we're the management and effect of the dramatically complex finale.

Tchaikovsky's deservedly popular Nutcracker Suite was also a pleasure to listen to, with well-done solo bits throughout the orchestra, most notably the bell-like sound of the celesta (played by Margarita Nuller) in the Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy and Wendy Kerner Lucas's sweeping harp cadenza in the lush Waltz of the Flowers.

Finally, Maestro Steichen's annual add-on tribute to Christmas was particularly delightful this year, what with the wonderfully polished performance by the Ridgefield Chorale choristers under Daniela Sikora's direction and the spirited walk in a winter wonderland by the red-hatted maestro and his orchestral team.

Reviewed by Courtenay Caublé, The Ridgefield Press

    With four stellar solo performers, the Ridgefield Symphony’s refreshingly enjoyable second concert this season last Saturday evening at Ridgefield High School’s Anne S. Richardson Auditorium departed from the usual three or so complete selections. Rossini’s Overture to Italiana in Algeri was the only complete work on a musical menu otherwise comprising single choice movements from longer works by J.S. Bach, Vivaldi, Haydn, Schubert, and Saint-Saëns, with orchestral and chamber works equally represented.

    The evening’s four soloists included quest cellist Madeleine Bouissou (the gifted daughter of Bernard and Sarah Bouissou of Ridgefield culinary fame), violinist Jorge Ávila (the RSO’s fine concertmaster), guest pianist Gayle Martin Henry, and (of course) Petko Dimitrov, the RSO’s exceptional Assistant Conductor.

    With both her skill and grace implicitly promising even more yet to come, Madeleine Bouissou’s sensitive and lovely playing of both the first movement of Haydn’s Cello Concerto in D Major and Saint-Saëns’ “The Swan” from Carnival of the Animals (with Ms. Henry at the piano) received a justly enthusiastic ovation from both her local fans in the audience and the rest of us – plus enough bouquets of flowers to fill a secondary garden. She gave us reason to expect to hear great things both about her and from her in the future.

    Elsewhere in the program an ensemble of principal RSO string players provided a rousing and well-modulated reading of the final Allegro from Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 and wonderful support for violinist Jorge Ávila’s alternately lyric and stormy performance of the “Summer” segment of Vivaldi’s “The Seasons.” His playing was an exceptional amalgam of virtuosity and musical sensitivity. Later, pianist Gail Martin Henry joined a quartet of string principals for a winning performance of the theme-and-variations fourth movement of Schubert’s “Trout” Quintet. The RSO is fortunate to be able to enlist the artistry of a solo pianist and chamber musician of Ms. Henry’s stature.

    Last but absolutely not least, kudos must go to Maestro Petko Dimitrov, whose obvious combination of musicological knowledge and overall musicianship both sensitively communicated individual works, which included Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, Bach’s Air on the G String, the Haydn Cello Concerto, the Rossini overture, and the first movements from Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 and Haydn’s Symphony No 104, and impressively held together an unusually varied program.

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Published 08:15 p.m., Tuesday, October 4, 2011

I'm not sure what Beethoven had in mind when he wrote his one and only violin concerto, but does anyone really know? I think he set the world's record for the longest delay in game, as the orchestra played both primary themes before the soloist finally started. But violinist Jorge Avila proved that good things are worth waiting for.

The Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra opened its 47th season last Saturday night at Ridgefield High School with an all-out all Beethoven program, with overall good results. But without a doubt, Avila's virtuosity in the Violin Concerto was the high point.

Avila has been the RSO concertmaster for the last three years, so he did have a slight home advantage playing the demanding piece. He maintained marvelous control of modulation, comfortably blending in with the orchestra. But Avila propelled himself into the stratosphere, surging ahead of the orchestra, shining on his own in his brilliant cadenzas.

It's not very often someone gets a standing ovation in the middle of a piece, but that's how Avila ended the first movement. He gave his violin quite a workout, and thank goodness he didn't break a string. After trading jabs with the orchestra for the rest of the concerto, especially the bassoon, Avila shared his bouquet of roses with the principals following their rollicking finale.

Gerald Steichen is heading into his fourth year as music director and conductor of a revitalized RSO, and promises to continue with a season full of musical treasures. If you get there early, you can hear Steichen give an entertaining and informative lecture before the concert.

We learned a little Greek mythology as Steichen explained the legend behind the opening work, the Overture to "The Creatures of Prometheus." Theatrically bright and bold, this was the perfect curtain riser, and I recognized a theme that Beethoven worked into the last movement of his Eroica Symphony.

Following intermission, we were treated to perhaps the most popular classical work ever written, Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67. Although it is commendable that RSO sustained supersonic speed without incident throughout the first movement, I prefer to enjoy listening to some of the notes a little longer. Fortunately, cellos succeeded in settling everyone down in the andante con moto second movement.

Horns, low strings, winds, and in turn all instruments reprised the opening "fate knocking at the door" motif. In the last movement, trombones and piccolo were added into the mix. Steichen kept the tempo under control as they charged out the powerfully syncopated finale.

Steichen and RSO have lined up a season full of events that will appeal to music lovers of all ages. Check their website at www.ridgefieldsymphony.org or call 203-438-3889 for more information.

Reviewed by Courtenay Caublé

Violinist Jorge Ávila’s sensitive performance of Beethoven’s D Major Violin Concerto was the highlight of the Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra’s uniformly fine season opener last Saturday evening at Ridgefield High School’s Anne S. Richardson Auditorium. Maestro Gerald Steichen’s program, billed as “The Beauty of Beethoven,” also included that composer’s “Creatures of Prometheus” Overture and his Symphony No. 5 in C minor.

With the orchestra responding to his leadership with arguably the evening’s best orchestral playing, Maestro Steichen both expertly unified the overture’s shifting moods and revealingly delineated the subtleties of Beethoven’s orchestration through informed attention to both phrasing and dynamic movement and contrasts. The concluding work, the ever-popular Fifth Symphony, also profited from similar attention to interpretive detail -- as well as to fine orchestral playing generally -- in a well turned out and powerful overall performance.

Although Beethoven’s violin concerto affords ample opportunities for a soloist to display his or her technique, it is, in contrast to essentially virtuoso display pieces like the concertos of Vieuxtemps and Paganini, largely a lyric work, devoid even of the complex and dramatic harmonic treatment common in most of Beethoven’s other mature works. Its performance impact depends largely on a soloist’s ability and willingness to concentrate on the inherent beauty of the work’s lyric lines without intruding upon their essentially expressive simplicity.

Jorge Ávila, who is also the RSO’s regular Concertmaster, managed to do that, at least in part leaving the two main cadenzas and the concerto’s exciting final measures to bear testimony to his virtuosity per se. Throughout the whole concerto, but especially in the hymn-like slow movement, his articulation and phrasing were both well defined and sensitively appropriate, thereby enhancing (and never distorting) the implicit expressiveness of Beethoven’s straightforward lyricism.

The rest of Saturday evening’s audience must have agreed with me that Mr. Ávila’s performance was both technically impressive and musically satisfying, giving him a long and loud standing ovation. And the exuberant Mr. Ávila was obviously pleased about it too, passing out individual blossoms of the roses Maestro Steichen had handed him to key members of the orchestra and happily tossing another blossom out into the applauding audience.

The whole evening was a very auspicious beginning for the RSO’s 2011-2012 season.

Published 11:55 p.m., Wednesday, April 6, 2011

In the final concert of their third season together, maestro Gerald Steichen and the Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra spent the first weekend of April in Paris. Eight stunning photographs wrapping around the stage made Ridgefield High School feel like a boat ride along the Seine. Little French flags were given out to all attendees, but regrettably, Bordeaux was not permitted on school property. Some of the music, however, was intoxicating.

Jubilant horns opened the "Rob Roy Overture" by Hector Berlioz, based on Sir Walter Scott's poem honoring a hero or outlaw, depending on your point of view. Heavenly harp passages seemed to suggest where the anti-hero wound up after the war. Playing in the high range, the English horn replicated bagpipes, as the RSO marched around in Scottish snap rhythm.

Seventeen-year-old Georges Bizet composed his Symphony No. 1 in C Major in about a month as a homework assignment for his teacher at the Paris Conservatory, Charles Gounod. After waiting 80 years to be premiered, it remains popular. Strings were in fine form leading the way throughout, with a lovely oboe theme in the adagio. Sharp brass in the final movement gave a few hints of Carmen.

Following intermission, the orchestra did a muscle flex for "Bacchanale" from "Samson et Dalila" by Camille Saint-Saens. Exotic winds created a seductive mood for duplicitous Dalila as dancing Philistines swirled around, and Samson was about to bring down the house. Tension coiled like a snake charmer with thunderous percussion, low brass and cellos vibrating with harmonic resonance. There's no substitute for hearing a live performance of this powerful piece.

"Dance of the Blessed Spirits," from "Orfeo ed Euridice," by Christoph Willibald Gluck, told a different kind of love story. The flute solo with muted strings was full of innocence and pathos in the interlude.

"Masques et bergamasques, Op. 112" by Gabriel Faure, had hints of modern sounds as music was making a transition out of the classical era. With nontraditional harmonies, Faure helped set the scene for the shift into experimental modes at the turn of the century. Melodies gently unfolded with descending chromatic scales in the ethereal "Pastorale."

The program closed with "La Valse," composed in 1920 as Maurice Ravel was re-examining Europe after the war. A second harp and triple wind section helped magnify the orchestra in the nightmarish off-balanced waltz. Steichen's exaggerated choreographic direction was dizzying. I felt like I was following someone trying to balance a tray of overflowing champagne flutes, while navigating across a ballroom on an ocean liner heaving in a storm. A wave of vertigo kicked in as I stared up at the photo of the Eiffel Tower on center stage. Steichen has certainly energized the RSO in his three years at the helm.

Reviewed by Courtenay Caublé, Ridgefield Press

         With colorful photos of familiar Paris landmarks provided and displayed across the back of the stage on sound baffles with the support of the Leir Foundation and the Ridgefield Guild of Artists, the Ridgefield Symphony’s final 2010-11 subscription program last Saturday evening at the Anne S. Richardson Auditorium was both a visual and a sonic winner. Maestro Gerald Steichen’s all-French program, dubbed “April in Paris,” included Hector Berlioz’s Rob Roy Overture, Bizet’s Symphony No. 1 in C, the Bacchanale from Samson and Delilah by Saint-Saëns, Gluck’s Dance of the Blessed Spirits from Orfeo ed Euridice, Gabriel Fauré’s Masques et bergamasques, and Ravel’s La Valse.

        Both Maestro Steichen’s sensitive interpretations and control and the orchestra’s response to his direction were arguably the best ever, leaving no doubt about this fine ensemble’s “fully professional” status. Subtle responses to contrasting moods and dynamic shadings provided musical depth to both the Berlioz overture, with especially fine brass section and solo English horn playing, and the Bizet Symphony, with precise and expressive playing by the string sections and beautifully phrased and nuanced solos by principal oboist Dorothy Darlington, particularly in the lovely second movement Adagio.

        Three Western Connecticut Youth Orchestra members – Alicia LoCicero (viola), Marcus Hausler (cello), and Joseph Hawker (tuba) -- joined the RSO for a brilliant performance of Saint-Saëns’ percussion-driven Bacchanale, a richly orchestrated mélange of orientalism, lively and ultimately frenetic dance music, and broad lyricism. It was masterfully interpreted and performed throughout, from its sensuously evocative opening oboe cadenza onward, with outstanding percussion playing and an impressively managed buildup to the work’s deliberately orgiastic conclusion.

        The quietly lyrical Dance of the Blessed Spirits, enhanced by flutist Kerry Walker’s expressive playing, and Fauré’s incidental music for the 1919 dramatic presentation Masques et bergamasques were both beautifully managed, and Maestro Steichen and the orchestra were at their best throughout in the orchestral fireworks of Ravel’s La Valse – a rousing conclusion for both the concert and the current subscription series. Both the evening’s musical menu and the orchestra’s splendid performance were impressive and enjoyable enough to whet one’s expectations for next season’s offerings.