Pacifica Tribune 10

Pacifica Tribune Review of The San Francisco Concerto Orchestra's Competition for Musicians of All Ages August 13, 2006 at Sanchez Concert Hall, Pacifica (published August 16, 2006)

I hear a symphony – Seth Montfort and The San Francisco Orchestra

By Jean Bartlett
Arts Correspondent

All right all you naysayers out there who are in denial about classical music. Did you see the movie “Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery?”  How about those excerpts from “By The Beautiful Blue Danube” by Johann Strauss Jr. which played while the newly wed Mr. and Mrs. Powers do a modern day fan dance to cover their specifics; pretty hot, no?  Or how about “Die Hard With A Vengeance”?  Did you hear a bit of cranked out Brahms “Symphony No. 1, 4th movement”?  Did it make you feel, unbeatable?

Classical music, what’s not to like?  This is the stuff that makes Olympic skaters blast over the ice.  This is the stuff that sparks the cries of “Murder!” behind the death of Mozart.  This is the stuff that was played Sunday evening at Pacifica’s Sanchez Concert Hall to a diverse crowd of music appreciators that went wild with their applause.  This is the stuff meant for you.

Pianist-composer Seth Montfort is the Artistic Director of the San Francisco Concerto Orchestra, and both played Sunday at the Sanchez.  This is a volunteer professional orchestra comprised of members of such Bay Area orchestras as: the San Francisco Symphony, Ballet and Opera Orchestras as well as the San Jose, Oakland and Marin Symphonies.  Members of the San Francisco Concerto Orchestra are given opportunities to “take a turn” to be spotlighted as concerto soloists, conductors and composers.  There are also national and international competitions held for musicians which are voted on by members of the Orchestra.  Competition winners receive the opportunity to be a featured player with the Orchestra, performing music of their choosing.  Their full range, soaring professionalism and victorious way of narrating a musical story makes The San Francisco Concerto Orchestra one sexy source of musical triumph.

Time being what it is, this review is of the dress rehearsal performance.  In piano solo piece “Miniature European Nightclub Waltzes, Tangos and Rags,” Seth Montfort gave us five works: “Valse pour le enfants” (Stravinsky); Valse in C” (Poulenc); “Ragtime Parade” (Satie); “Tango de Fratellini from Le boeuf sur le toit” (Milhaud); and “Dance of the Wooden Puppet, Foxtrot” (Hindemith).  Montfort explained that this was nightclub music written by avant-garde performers during World War I.  With a rush of sound, pianist Montfort whirled his listeners into a fun house of elegant intensity and spinning playfulness.  Beautifully shaped phrasing, able to present on keyboard flittering eyelashes as easily as all the colors of a saloon at fighting hours – Montfort was as always, a master pianist natural.  That was the glory.  Now for the gory.

Will that trumpet guy, who shall remain nameless, who climbed backstage during Mr. Montfort’s dress rehearsal piece and adjusted his own chair, music stand, occasionally talked to himself, said a hearty “What’s Up” to the pianist and then put a few breaths into his instrument with the express purpose of checking out its big sound consider, not following up a cease and desist order from a polite performing pianist with the phrase: “I thought it didn’t start till 6.”  With thanks for the laughs.

Next up, several pieces under the title, “From Viola Land.”  Violist Patricia Heller performed the solo parts of “Trauermusik for Viola and Strings” (Paul Hindemith).  Duane Heller, conducted. Both Hellers were South Bay Classical Winners. Powerful, deeply exquisite with a solo performance by Patricia Heller that was warm and silken virtuosity – this stirring piece lead us into the dark of the woods and out into the light.

The earthy dark tones of the middle voiced viola were celebrated in “Works For Increasing Numbers of Violas” by Douglas Hein. Bold, round, sunlit and gleaming, playing paint brushed stallions in meadows quiet “All The Pretty Horses” – these works by Hein reminded that the viola stands impressive on its own.

South Bay Classical Winner and solo violinist Eric Leong played “Allegro Moderato” from “Obsession Sonata in a minor, Opus 27 No. 2” by Eugene Ysaye.  Lightening fast technical prowess by Leong opened a breathtaking violin sail to the mystery and hue of obsession.

Conductor Geoffrey Gallegos led the San Francisco Orchestra and violin soloist Eric Leong in “Violin Concerto in e minor, Opus 64,” “Andante” and “Allegro molto vivace” by Felix Mendelssohn. Crisp staccato, fluid passages, and extreme technique produced by Leong over and through the Orchestra’s layer of grace presented the audience with the sweet, sweet lush and full of a midnight lullaby.

Frank Davis on absolute inspirational trumpet, Gallegos conducting with balance and musical insight, full Orchestra up gave the audience one gallant, unbelievably outstanding performance of “Themes From Die Fledermaus For Trumpet And Orchestra” (Johann Strauss Jr.)

Pianist Myrna Setiawan, South Bay Classical Winner sat down with the Orchestra and conductor Gallegos to give us “Piano Concert No. 2 in f minor, Opus 21” “Larghetto” and “Allegro Vivace” (Chopin). In complete conversation with Chopin’s desires, Ms. Setiawan with her fingers falling like petals in the rain, brought to her piano all the instincts of a poet, all the balance, phrasing, technical know-how and elegance of passion that is Chopin. Brava performance.

The program closed with Seth Montfort’s lovingly nuanced solo piano celebration of “Brazilian Cycle” by Heitor Villa-Lobos.  This performance by Montfort was a piano walk into the panorama of Brazil.  What an evening.  What a symphony.

Pacifica Tribune August 16, 2006