[By Robert Steinman]
No one likes to begin something in the middle but in the midst of a most entertaining concert, it was the middle that was unusually sparkling at the Sunday, October 3, Jewish Community Center Orchestra performance.
Manual de Falla has been considered one of the greatest, if not the greatest, Spanish composer of the 20th century. From among his works, Aaron Boaz, the orchestra’s music director and conductor, selected “The Three Cornered Hat” (“El Sombrero de Tres Picos”) for presentation.
Boaz suggested that this was a most challenging choice but he knew that the orchestra was fully up to that challenge. Indeed they were. It was a riveting performance in every sense and everyone seemed bound up by the performance as well as the music.
The program began with a quiet showcase of music from Der Rosenkavalier by Strauss followed by “Slavonic Dances” by Dvorak. The music was enjoyable and ranging from the softer tones of the strings to well-driven, energetic orchestral completeness that filled the hall with its music.
Also on the program was the dynamic “Imperial March” by Elgar written for and befitting Queen Victoria of England. And this wonderful evening of music concluded the well-know “Beautiful Blue Danube” by Strauss.