Sinfonietta spotlights two talented soloists
Sun-Times Group
By Dorothy Andries
Published March 21, 2007
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Classical Review
Maestro Paul Freeman’s bold plan to create and maintain a symphony orchestra as diverse as the city where it plays has endured for two decades. Monday night on the stage of Orchestra Hall, in the fourth concert of its 20th anniversary season, his Chicago Sinfonietta presented diverse musical offerings as well. The program included American songs, spirituals, a guitar concerto by an Oscar-winning composer, and another concerto buoyed by the addition of the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra.
The soloists were baritone Jubilant Sykes, whose name well suits his vivacious stage manner and striking appearance, and classical guitarist Christopher Parkening. Sykes opened the program with three of Aaron Copland’s beloved settings of traditional American songs: “At the River,” “Simple Gifts” and “Bought Me a Cat,” accompanied by the orchestra. The first two, which are prayer-like, demonstrated Sykes’ silken sound and the artistry with which he handles each phrase. When he sang “gather with the saints by the river,” the image came vividly to life. “Bought Me a Cat” was a chance for Sykes to show his comic abilities, and he had the audience laughing within seconds.
Just before intermission, Sykes and Parkening paired for two spirituals, “Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child” and “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands.” Again, he mined the verses, softly at first, consistently observing subtleties and pauses, then bursting out in the last verse of the second song as if proclaiming, rather than singing.
In between was the program’s centerpiece, Concerto for Guitar, written for Parkening in 1999 by film composer Elmer Bernstein (a onetime student of Copland’s). Bernstein, who died in 2004, scored more than 200 films, including “The 10 Commandments,” “The Magnificent Seven” and “Thoroughly Modern Millie.”
The man could write music, and his great sweeping lines, so characteristic of decades of film scores, were melodic and powerful. The first and third movements had color and variety. Less secure was the quiet second movement, when the composer went for a standard Spanish sound, reminiscent of Joaquin Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez.
As a performer, Parkening remains one of the gold standards of the guitar, but Monday his sound often seemed to recede into the orchestra. Perhaps because of the acoustics, perhaps because a microphone should have been used for the guitar, the performance seemed somewhat pale.
The program’s surprise was the final number, Saint-Saens’ Symphony No 3 in C Minor (Organ Symphony). The Sinfonietta was joined onstage by members of the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra to glorious effect.
The brass began to shine, the strings were silken, and the entire ensemble sounded fresh and strong.
Stephen Alltop of Northwestern University was organ soloist, and at times, the sound of the instrument actually vibrated through the main floor.
Bravo to Freeman and his ensemble for bringing these young musicians aboard. And bravo to the spirit that has sustained the Chicago Sinfonietta for 20 fruitful years.
Copyright © 2007 Chicago Sun-Times
