Greenwich Symphony's First 2015 Concert Features First Trumpet Concerto Ever Written; Exceptional Soloist

By Linda Phillips.

Ryan Anthony, trumpet player extraordinaire, transported the audience for the Greenwich Symphony’s first concert of the new year back to 1796, and urged them to forget they had ever heard the trumpet before— with astonishing effect.

Introduced by Conductor David Gilbert, the soloist gave a brief history of his instrument, adding that prior to Haydn’s “Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra”, the horn had just been a curved tube with limited tonal range, then proceeded to blow his horn like Gabriel himself.

Mr. Gilbert said that the program (performed Jan. 24 and 25) was a happy one, chosen for consonance and spirit. The opening piece strung us along, as Tchaikovsky’s emotional “Serenade for Strings”, containing all the feeling missing from the bombast of the simultaneously-composed “1812 Overture” was found therein: lilting melodies, swelling passages, instrumental conversations.

Andante non troppo, Allegro moderato opened with violins, the cellos answering in lyrical style. The orchestra then waltzed away to a reprise of the opening statement and brief caesuras. Moderato:tempo di valse was a taste of Vienna, consonant, in major key, violins and cellos featured, informed by pizzicato plinks. Larghetto elegiaco was somber, and the finale: Andante, allegro con spirito, was exquisitely tender, double basses featured prominently as the music moved to a soaring ending, with cellos sonorous, the orchestra swelling to a reprise of the opening theme.

The orchestra made this familiar work new, as its nuanced performance found every emotion the composer wrote. Interestingly, the size and composition changed for each piece, adding brasses and woodwinds after the “Tchaikovsky Serenade”, (and losing some double basses, who returned for the Nielsen).

Ryan Anthony, natty in suit and vest, came onstage with great vigor and presence, giving the audience a charming commentary on the evolution of the trumpet (valves) and this groundbreaking composition for it. He then proceeded to play the opening Allegro with relish and impressive trills. We were hearing a horn of plenty, with brightness and color. The solo coda was astonishing and virtuosic. The Andante, lyrical, melodic and upbeat, again showcased Mr. Anthony’s technique. The closing Allegro was a tuneful trumpet voluntary, the soloist playing with gusto. Mr. Anthony received a standing ovation, shouts of “bravo”, and three curtain calls.

From the consonant to the psychological and probing, the orchestra closed with Carl Nielsen’s (Denmark’s foremost composer) “Symphony No.2, “The Four Temperaments”, exploring in music the basal conditions of the human personality.

Opening with the Impetuous, (Allegro collerico,) the orchestra immediately conveyed a wonderful heft and profundity. A clarinet sounded, the woodwinds joining, fading away until the kettledrum sounded and the French horns blared. Small strokes in the violins were anchored by the tuba and low brasses.

The Indolent, (Allegro Flemmatico) was portrayed musically in triple meter by languid strings joined by an oh-so-peaceful French horn and pizzicato double basses, a French horn leading to a bassoon passage,(reminiscent of Tchaikovsky’s scoring for “Peter and the Wolf”) in a pleasing passage, violins playing spiccato.

Ponderous and sad, the Melancholy (Andante, Melancolia) had gravitas, with a deep underlying sadness, a tragic overture quality. A haunting oboe motif again reminded of Peter and the Wolf’s Sonia the Duck, the French horn returning above the deep orchestration, grounded by six double basses, in a movement too sad for tears. A small ray of hope in a major passage led to the close with flute, clarinet, bassoon and French horn.

The Cheerful (Allegro sanguineo), very upbeat, tuneful, happy and vigorous, and allowed only a small passage in the harmonic minor before it returned to exuberance, with a dance-like passage and a stentorian march toward a brave new world.

The orchestra and principals were lauded by Conductor Gilbert, as the audience applause lingered.

The next performance of the Greenwich Symphony will be on March 14 and 15th, and will feature violinist Brian Lewis playing Beethoven, Barber and Sibelius. For ticket and information, go to www.GreenwichSym.org, or call 203.869.2664.

Photo: Ryan Anthony. Credit: Greenwich Symphony.

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