Music and Dance Reviews : Debut Orchestra Plays ’55 Edition of ‘Pictures’

An obscure Soviet orchestration of Mussorgsky’s familiar “Pictures at an Exhibition” created special interest at the concert by the Debut Orchestra of the Young Musicians Foundation, Sunday afternoon at Royce Hall.

While at times similar to Ravel’s scoring of 1922, Sergei Gorchakov’s 1955 edition proved an often original, distinctive vision of Mussorgsky’s piano suite.

Some movements, subtly re-scored (such as “Limoges”), retained the essential Ravel character. Others took on darker, more severe accents. Gorchakov’s ox cart lumbered with exceptional heaviness, his catacombs evoked a riveting sense of terror. Close, low-register spacing of chords, generous use of brass and some additional percussion helped make this reworking vivid, as well as authentic in flavor.

Jung-Ho Pak, the conductor, evoked bold, heroic sonorities, maintained proper balances and effected stunning dynamic changes. The 70 musicians played for him with extraordinary maturity and precision.

Violinist Sheryl Staples, cellist Jeffrey Watson, oboist John Ralston and bassoonist Charles Coker collaborated in a brilliant, seemingly effortless performance of Haydn’s Sinfonia Concertante in B-flat. With Pak conducting from the harpsichord, the orchestra provided confident albeit overly glib support.

The program opened with an accurate but uninspired, sterile reading of Brahms’ “Haydn” Variations.