Gerhardt to Play Czech Program; Philharmonic to Perform Wagner

By Channing Gray

The classical music season gets under way this month when the Rhode Island Philharmonic stages an all-Czech program with acclaimed German cellist Alban Gerhardt soloing in Dvorak’s gorgeous cello concerto. The Sept. 27 program also includes Smetana’s tone poem The Moldau and Leos Janacek’s Sinfonietta.

Gerhardt at 38 is one of the most sought after cellists of his generation. Conductor Larry Rachleff said that when he told the cellists in the orchestra that Gerhardt would be performing here they said, “Oh, my God.”

The Philharmonic season continues Oct. 18, when Rachleff conducts Wagner for the first time in his dozen years here. Rachleff, who is Jewish, has in the past avoided Wagner, who was an avowed anti- Semite. But he said he understands it is important that the public hears this music and that the orchestra has an opportunity to perform it. He has programmed the Love-Death from the opera Tristan and Isolde.

The all-German program also features Mahler’s Songs of a Wayfarer with baritone Donnie Ray Albert, along with the Scottish Symphony of Mendelssohn, which hasn’t been heard here since the mid-1960s.

The orchestra holds its more or less annual chamber concert Nov. 15 with Edgar Varese’s 1923 score Octandre, written for wind quintet, trumpet, trombone and double bass. Ravel’s wistful Le Tombeau de Couperin and Tchaikovsky’s classically inspired Mozartiana Suite round out the program, along with Beethoven’s lyrical Fourth Piano Concerto with soloist Jeremy Denk.

But before the Philharmonic gets under way, pianist Jeffrey Siegel will be holding one of his Keyboard Conversations Tuesday at Rhode Island College’s Sapinsley Hall. This recital with commentary features music Mozart and Haydn.

The Chorus of Westerly kicks off its 50th season next Sunday with the Orthodox Singers of Estonia in a program of Russian sacred music. Conductor George Kent will then lead his 200 singers in a Nov. 23 performance of Ralph Vaughn Williams’ Hodie, the composer’s inspirational celebration of Christmas.

More vocal music comes from the Providence Singers, when the group tackles Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Dominick Argento’s cantata Jonah and the Whale. That takes place Nov. 7 and 9 at Blessed Sacrament Church on Academy Avenue in Providence and is part of the FirstWorksProv Festival. The 1973 score combines 14th- century English poetry, sea chanteys and work songs. The Boston Modern Orchestra Project joins the Singers for this event.

Tudor composer William Byrd’s Mass for Five Voices heads up a concert by the Schola Cantorum in October. Two performances are scheduled, Oct. 18 at St. Joseph’s Church, Hope and Arnold Streets in Providence, and Oct. 19 at St. Michael’s Church in Bristol.

Museum Concerts, the early music series based at St. Martin’s Church in Providence, hosts Harmonious Blacksmith Nov. 9. That’s a quartet featuring tenor Aaron Sheehan, two recorder players and a lute. On tap is music by 16th-century English composer John Dowland.

And harpsichordist Paul Cienniwa performs music of Bach Saturday at 8 p.m. in the Hawes Room at Newport’s Trinity Church. Among the offerings are the French Overture and the Italian Concerto.

The Chorus of Westerly’s 50th season begins next Sunday. Larry St. Pierre cgray@projo.com / (401) 277-7492

Originally published by Channing Gray, Journal Arts Writer.

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