The Schoenberg, being a subtle piece entirely for stringed instruments, relies on precise hand-offs from section to section and contrasting textures to be successful. The muddy Sunday performance caused the whole thing to sound like one monotonous blur, I'm afraid. Ohlsson was good in both the piano pieces. His speed and articulation were something to marvel at, but the orchestra behind him again seemed disjointed and not always in synch with him--or the conductor. The Nocturnes left me with the same impression of muddiness that the Shoenberg did. It's a shame. In the eight years I've been listening to the orchestra it has made tremendous strides (under Jeffrey Kahane). On a good night, it can be startlingly good. I begin to wonder about the rapport between the performers and the new conductor, Bruno Ferrandis.
Perhaps other performances of this program were better. I don't know. I do know that I was not alone in my disappointment on Sunday. The Santa Rosa crowd usually will give just about anybody a standing ovation. There was none on Sunday, and that's the first time that's ever happened in my eight years of attending Santa Rosa Symphony concerts.
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