The Fresno Philharmonic tackles a powerhouse program this weekend, and it's hard to narrow down just one piece as the biggest draw. Here's a look at the top two contenders:
Elgar's Cello Concerto is justly famous, and one of the reasons is because the great British cellist Jacqueline du Pré, whose bout with multiple sclerosis was detailed in the movie "Hilary and Jackie," became memorably linked with the title.
Playing the Elgar with the Philharmonic for the first time is soloist Zuill Bailey, who is described by music director Theodore Kuchar as "probably the hottest name as far as young American cellists are concerned." Bailey, a professor of cello at the University of Texas at El Paso, has performed with major orchestras across the country and recently signed a 10-CD deal with Telarc.
He's also a longtime colleague of Kuchar's, who says he's been "forced" to reinvite him time and again to his orchestra in Reno.
"The combination of the guest artist and the work certainly has a very large appeal," Kuchar says.
Still, the conductor is most partial to Tchaikovsky's 3rd Orchestral Suite, which will be performed for the first time in Philharmonic history. Though the 42-minute work isn't as well known as some of his other titles, the composer himself considered it his best composition for orchestra.
One reason for the relative anonymity of the piece might simply be the title, Kuchar says, which suggests a ballet experience such as "The Nutcracker" or "Sleeping Beauty." But nomenclature aside, the piece is a powerhouse that doesn't follow the usual symphonic patterns. It begins with a slow movement, "incredibly deep and contemplative," followed by two fast movements (a waltz and a scherzo). The lengthy finale features a number of variations that range from fast to introspective, topped off by an explosive ending.
"This is a work in terms of intensity and musical quality that has exactly the same effect as the most famous symphonies that people knock the doors down to see, yet it's never been played in Fresno," Kuchar says. "I thrive on this."
The reporter can be reached at dmunro@fresnobee.com or (559) 441-6373. Read his blog at fresnobeehive.com/author/donald_munro.
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