Classic French Program a Hit

February 18, 2008

By Diane Peterson
The Press Democrat, page B3

The Santa Rosa Symphony, under Music Director Bruno Ferrandis, presented a vivid program of French works Saturday night that skipped across the 20th century like a stone on water.

From the strident dissonance of Dutilleux’s “Metaboles” (1964) to the sunny conclusion of Debussy’s “La Mer,” (1905), the concert reflected the vast distances classical music has traveled in 100 years.

But the heart of the program — Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 2, written way back in 1795 — provided the most satisfying voyage of the evening, showcasing Argentinean pianist Ingrid Fliter before intermission.

Dressed in a ruffly, black halter gown, Fliter carefully wiped off her piano keys before diving into the work. After hearing her play, it’s easy to understand why.

Under her fingers, the piano produced a sound so pure and clean that it seemed to pour out of her like a crisp, mountain stream. And her musical phrasing was equally as natural.

Fliter is not well-known in the United States, despite winning the prestigious Gilmore Artist Award in 2006. But it’s obvious that she is a talent to be reckoned with.

Her work in the first movement was elegant and nuanced, with smooth transitions and just the right amount of rubato (slowing of tempo) giving emphasis to the end of phrases.

She opened the Adagio with simplicity and restraint, allowing the music to speak for itself. This approach worked well for this classical work, but occasionally left the listener yearning for a bit more passion.

The pianist remained calm and in control during the finale, executing the off-beat rhythms and the arpeggios with equal aplomb.

Under Ferrandis’ baton, the orchestral accompaniment provided dramatic dynamics and sensitive support throughout.

After intermission, Faure’s sweet-tempered “Masques et Bergamasques” provided a sturdy bridge between the 18th and 20th centuries.

Ferrandis and the orchestra opened the concert with an early work from Dutilleux, a living composer now in his 90s who wrote a piece to celebrate the Boston Symphony Orchestra's 125th anniversary last year.

The French composer has been sculpting highly refined, intricate music for decades and the other-worldly "Metaboles" is no exception. The orchestra made a strong case for the sonorous work, which opens with pointed dissonance, punctuated by percussion and pizzicato.

The highly textured music--featuring fluttering flutes, eerie string harmonics, muted brass and plucky bass rhythms--sounded at time like a deconstructed dance band, splintered into shards of sound. In the end, the work returned--in an orderly fashion--to the chaotic dissonance of the opening.

Those looking for a bit of melody to hang onto were rewarded by Debussy's "La Mer," which ended the concert with a splash of color and lots of delicious woodwind, brass and string solos.

The second half of the concert, however, was marred by a mysterious high-pitched noise that may have been caused by a hearing aid.

You can reach Staff Writer Diane Peterson at 521-5287 or diane.peterson@pressdemocrat.com