SAN BERNARDINO: Symphony satisfies in opening concert
BY SHERLI LEONARD
CORRESPONDENT
features@pe.com
Published: 03 October 2011 07:44 PM

Accessible doesn't have to mean uninteresting, familiar need not mean boring, and the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra proved both points at their season opening concert on Saturday night.

Conductor Carlo Ponti, returning after a two-concert hiatus, programmed just two works: Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 4, the Italian Symphony, and Beethoven's Symphony No. 4, both accessible and familiar music that the orchestra performed with great care and spirit, reminding the listeners why they come to classical music concerts.

The similarities between the symphonies ended with the symphony numbers as the predictable and orderly Mendelssohn contrasted with the edgier (for the early 1800s), more experimental Beethoven. Thoughtful program notes by Charles Bradley of the Guthrie Music Library, as always, enhanced the listening enjoyment.

Lickety-split lightness characterized the approach of both the strings and horns at the opening of Mendelssohn's work, the orchestra playing with an ebullient and vigorous attitude. Shapely oboe lines wove in and out of orchestral build-ups and subito softness while a too-subtle understated clarinet missed the intended poignancy. Throughout the piece, the very busy string players performed with a clean, crisp approach making neat separations of phrases -- the whole left the listener invigorated.

Too bad we couldn't have enjoyed the shifts in movements without the interference of untimely between-movements applause. We missed the full sense of the fourth movement's explosion of energy after the lovely and lyrical third movement.

Within the Beethoven work, contrasts absolutely matter, and the orchestra came through with a deliberate and dark opening in the minor key that erupted into a brash fortissimo statement only to shrink suddenly into another hush, a hush, however, without an underlying strength. The sweetly melodic second movement featured nice drama with the clarinet and violins and a neatly-performed difficult horn entrance. Still, Beethoven's innovative elements ached for more reaching down to the toes to get the music's potential -- more drama, breathier hesitations, bigger everything.

Following the well-done third movement with its tremendous variety and winds that performed with elegant expression, the orchestra shifted into high gear for the fourth movement, making big of the contrasts, jumping on a long legato line with a sharp marcato and back again.

The orchestra, playing with full commitment to making excellent music, gave the audience a delightful classical music concert, without challenges or stretches, and the audience thanked them with a well-deserved standing ovation.