Sarasota Orchestra gives audience close encounter with Masterworks program

The Sarasota Orchestra’s new music director, Giancarlo Guerrero, is teaching us never to expect the expected. In the Dec. 6 Masterworks concert, "Close Encounters," there was much to surprise us.

The soloist for the program was guitarist Pablo Sáinz-Villegas, said to be the Andre Segovia of his generation. He certainly had the well-mastered technique and expressive sensitivity to charm us with Joaquin Rodrigo’s "Concierto de Aranjuez." It’s a well-loved and well-worn linchpin of the guitar repertoire, and Sáinz-Villegas captured it exquisitely. 

Infinitely Spanish in every way — from flamenco rhythms to Moorish-tinged free solo lines and cadenzas — the piece's detail received close attention from the orchestra and Guerrero, displaying a strong partnership.

The audience clearly appreciated the concerto, but it was the encore of "Gran Jota" by Francisco Tárrega in which Sáinz-Villegas revealed a technical virtuosity and flair that drew a roar from the crowd.

Opening the concert with Paul Dukas’ "L’apprenti sorcier" ("The Sorcerer’s Apprentice") Guerrero marshaled the considerable talents of this orchestra in the first of three strong performances in the program.

We all know the apprentice from the Disney movie "Fantasia" and could imagine Mickey and the enchanted broom(s), but the immediacy and well-defined colors in live performance was far more impressive.

Every member of the orchestra excelled here, creating a magical fabric of sound. Special mention is reserved for the bassoons, including the contrabassoon, and the percussion section.

The same strengths were abundant in their performance of the excerpts from John Williams’ film score for “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.” Taken out of the visual context, this music stood alone as a compelling tone poem. 

There was a clear conversation happening in the juxtaposition between otherworldly sounds both unsettling and scary and the lush tonal strains of the orchestra in thrall of one of those juicy Williams melodies. This music pulsed and breathed with amazing vibrance to which, beyond the score, I must credit whatever is happening between Guerrero and the Sarasota Orchestra.

But wait, there is more! Ottorino Respighi’s famed "Pines of Rome" served as the finale. The score is always a sure winner with a blow-out ending. Through four separate scenes the orchestra splashed out in joyous color for the Villa Borghese and leaned on lower voices, soft strings and an off-stage trumpet for the Catacombs. 

The gardens on the Gianicolo hill came alive with various wind and string voices that created a tranquil scene. Cheers to the solo clarinet and the always welcome nightingale song from Respighi’s own recording.

At last, we reached the Pines of the Appian Way where the orchestra created the illusion of a far-away Roman legion marching home. Every note was in the right place. The results were just what we might expect from this orchestra.

And then, extra brass players appeared in the back of the audience seating and created an impressive antiphonal effect. It’s not an uncommon use of off-stage brass in the finale, but we’ve not seen this attempted before in the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.

It surprised and delighted the audience, creating a very effective climax and truly close encounter with the Sarasota Orchestra. Again, the audience roared its approval.