Stage Review: Eroica headed to new heights

Michael Gilbert

At the final note of Saturday night's concert by the Eroica Ensemble, conductor Michael Gilbert thrust his baton toward the heavens as if spearing a low-hanging star.

The gesture was as much a symbol of triumph as it was a direction for the musicians to send the volume through the roof of First Congregational Church in Midtown.

How Gilbert, a former violinist with the New York Philharmonic, is able to assemble such a solid group of players, then provide a series of free classical concerts (donations are eagerly appreciated), remains something of a marvel, but also a great gift to Memphis.

Even with a flexible roster of players (which include college instructors, Memphis Symphony musicians, freelancers and a few gifted students), the Eroica Ensemble has the cohesion and balance of a tight-knit crew.

First Congo, it should be noted, is a merciful venue; its generous reverb lends robustness to just about anything except the sound of humans speaking into microphones.

Not that the orchestra needed much acoustical assistance. During Vaughan Williams' "The Lark Ascending," the horn section merged with the swirling strings with such grace of tone that one could have easily mistaken the brassy shine of principal Robert Gilbert's horn as the glint of sunrise itself.

Dvorak's Symphony No. 6 in D Major isn't the composer's most recognizable work, but as a season closer it showcased the ensemble's rhythmic strength. The strings made good work of the Scherzo's triple meter "Furiant" dance tempo. Listeners were then brought to their feet by the rousing "Finale, Allegro con spirit."

The blustery symphony was a striking counterpoint to an almost translucent performance of Mozart's Fifth Violin Concerto in A Major by the eminent violinist Sanford Allen. His impeccable trills and even-tempered phrasing were as light as a golden thread in an expansive tapestry. (Train whistles in the Memphis night nearly overpowered his delicate cadenzas.)

His featherweight tone was, perhaps, better suited to "The Lark Ascending." With zen-like calm, Allen sketched an airy musical path, "ever winging up and up ... to lift us with him as he goes," as the poet George Meredith might put it.

Up is just the direction that the Eroica Ensemble will keep heading if future concerts are as delightful as the last.

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