Print edition: 
Saturday evening’s concert in the Century II Concert Hall by the Wichita Symphony, under the baton of music director Daniel Hege, was an affirmation of the vitality of concert music, so called “classical music,” in Wichita.
The concert framed an exciting and adventurous new work, featuring Colin Currie, a soloist of international acclaim, with two gems from the 19th century. The energy of the selections was well balanced and as a whole the concert was enjoyable and well received.
Felix Mendelssohn’s “Hebrides Overture,” also know as Fingal’s Cave began the concert. Mendelssohn traveled widely, creating music sketches inspired by his experiences that spawned some of his finest works. Although the theme for the Overture came to him instantly, Mendelssohn was years realizing the piece.
As he toiled with it, he wrote “The middle portion in E is too stupid, and the whole working out smells more of counterpoint than of train oil, seagulls, and salt fish and must be altered.” Through his perseverance he created one of the most widely loved and admired overtures of the orchestral repertoire.
The orchestra’s playing seemed slightly ill at ease in this performance. The opening measures were unstable, entrances and pitch were not quite in sync. There was some fine individual playing however. Principal clarinetist Adrian Sandi rendered his solo lines with a gentle eloquence and was joined with equal beauty by second clarinetist Gabrielle Baffoni.
The performance of Jennifer Higdon’s “Percussion Concerto” was a tour de force. This large piece makes demands of every section, especially the percussion, calling them into intricate interaction with the soloist. The Wichita Symphony percussionists were easily equal to the challenge. The orchestra’s playing was very good, but a bit too reserved for such a dynamic piece. Soloist Colin Currie exuded confidence and joy as he performed this piece, which premiered in 2005 and was written for him. The audience gave this challenging work a very enthusiastic reception.
The final work of the evening was Robert Schumann’s “First Symphony, the Spring Symphony,” an effervescent celebration of sound. Hege's pacing of this performance was appropriately spirited. The orchestra may have been fatigued by the Higdon piece, as some of the accustomed beauty and sensitivity of phrasing was not as abundant as usual, and balance and ensemble were occasionally askew. Schumann’s vision of “ecstasy before the miracle of spring” was communicated intact however, and surely warmed the audience before they departed into the cold night.
