Violinist Chee-Yun Deep, Dazzling

by Diane Peterson
 
The Press Democrat, February 16, 2004

SANTA ROSA---Violinist Chee-Yun brought a magnetic blend of muscle and musicianship to the Burbank Center for the Arts on Saturday night, ending the Santa Rosa Symphony's fourth subscription concert on a note as high and clear as mountain air.

Santa Rosa Symphony Music Director Jeffrey Kahane asked the Korean violinist to step in at the last minute to take over for Latvian violinist Baiba Skride, who was having visa problems.

Dressed in a long, raspberry sheath with gilded bodice, Chee-Yun dove fearlessly into Sibelius' daunting Violin Concerto in D minor after intermission with an impressive blend of rock-solid bowing, flawless intonation and sumptuous string tone.

The wiry violinist imbued the concerto with the requisite rhythmic ferocity during the cadenzas of the first movement, negotiating the rugged arpeggios and double-stops almost effortlessly.

Due in part to Sibelius' deliciously delayed ending, the first movement's climax elicited an unexpected round of applause from the audience.

But it was the violinist's lyricism in the central slow movement that proved her mettle, revealing an interpretive depth beneath all that dazzling technique. A glowing theme on the G string, transcendent octaves and a final, ringing harmonic brought the ardent Adagio to a close.

Although the final movement got off to a rocky start - the orchestra seemed to have a hard time finding the groove - the accompaniment soon caught up to the soloist and together, they danced toward the sparkling conclusion.

Exhibiting extreme dynamic and bow control, Chee-Yun milked the melodic lines of the Allegro for all they were worth without resorting to schmaltz - a mark of maturity and restraint. In return, she was rewarded with an enthusiastic standing ovation.
As an encore, she offered a tender, note-perfect rendition of the slow movement from Bach's Sonata No. 3 in C major for solo violin.

The first half of Saturday's concert opened with three popular works by the Finnish composer Sibelius, who achieved international recognition late in life, long after he stopped composing about 1929.

Wearing a red cummerbund in honor of Valentine's Day, Kahane led the orchestra at a nice clip through "Finlandia," a nationalistic anthem rife with bombastic brass and timpani. This piece was sheer fun, a feast for the eyes and the ears.

While their first entrance was a bit sloppy in "Finlandia," the strings shone in Sibelius' "Valse Triste," floating over the lush, Viennese-style waltz with nuanced phrasing. The dramatic work -- illustrating the final waltz of an old woman about to be embraced by death -- concludes with solo violins, and death never sounded so sweet.

Less successful was Sibelius' "Lemminkainen's Return," the finale of the "Four Legends of the Kalevala," based on the Finnish epic. The tone poem, which tells of a hero who journeys to the underworld and survives numerous brushes with death, kept the orchestra scurrying through quick tempos, syncopation and a tricky accelerando. The ensemble suffered occasionally alongside the epic's hero, but the blows were not fatal.

Showcased before intermission was another Finnish work - "L.A. Variations," written in 1997 by Los Angeles Philharmonic Music Director Esa-Pekka Salonen.

While the works by Sibelius mirror the fjords and forests of Finland, "L.A. Variations" reflects the urban hubbub of Salonen's adopted home, Los Angeles.

Chaotic and nervous and full of colorful timbres and percussive force, the work percolated along like a pinball machine.., careening wildly between the ethereal and what sounds like an Excaedrin headache.
As with Sibelius, there's a poetic magic and an intense clarity underneath it all that keeps you on the edge of your seat - unless of course, you prefer to fall asleep, as one man did during Saturday's performance.

Still, Kahane should be commended for keeping contemporary music before the public, not just as short curtain-raisers but major works before intermission. It's time for classical music to face forward rather than backward.

The Santa Rosa Symphony will repeat the Saturday program at 8 tonight at the Burbank Center, 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa. Tickets cost $15-$52. Call 546-8742