Another Great Concert

I was chatting with accomplished area pianist Ellen Southard at intermission, and she’s someone who can speak with a bit more authority than I about the nuances of the string section of the North State Symphony.

“I’m not sure they could have done that Schoenberg piece a few years ago,” Southard said. “Wasn’t that wonderful?”

Schoenberg’s “Transfigured Night” sure sounded wonderful to me on Sunday afternoon at the Cascade Theatre. It also sounded like a challenge. It was dissonant and layered with a melodic texture that was unpredictable. I kept wanting it to hit a comforting series of major notes, but it held off for so long. When they finally did arrive, I felt a wave of emotion rush right into my face.

The piece is based on a poem by Richard Dehmel. In the poem, a woman tells her lover she’s been unfaithful and even become pregnant by another man. She’s in turmoil, but her lover tells her it will all be OK: “May the child you conceived be no burden on your soul; Just see how brightly the universe is gleaming!”

Before playing the piece in its entirety, conductor Kyle Wiley Pickett had the orchestra play sections of it, and he described how they related to the poem. It was a really effective technique and helped me understand and enjoying the work on a deeper level.

The symphony also played the very familiar “Barber of Seville” by Rossini to open the concert, and closed with Beethoven’s Fourth Symphony. I was only vaguely familiar with the Fourth, but the symphony’s performance of it Sunday turned me into a fan.

There are few experiences that rival hearing and watching a large group of pro musicians laser-focused on a great work by Beethoven. Especially in the Cascade, where the acoustics are perfect for the orchestra.

It was a beautiful day in Redding on Sunday (this is why we live here, no?), but an impressive crowd turned out for the afternoon concert nevertheless.

It’s official, we value this cultural experience in our beautiful downtown theater.

Next up for the symphony are holiday concerts on Dec. 19 at the State Theatre in Red Bluff, and Dec. 21 at All Saints Episcopal Church in Redding. Last year’s holiday favorites concert at the beautiful (and beautifully acoustic) All Saints church sold out quickly. This year the symphony will perform an extra show at All Saints (2 and 7:30 p.m), but officials are expecting both shows to sell out quickly.

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Jim Dyar

is a journalist who focuses on arts, entertainment, music and the outdoors. He is a songwriter and leader of the Jim Dyar Band. He lives in Redding and can be reached at jimd.anewscafe@gmail.com