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Music Reviews : Midori at American Youth Symphony Benefit

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The American Youth Symphony is 25 years old this season, or six years older than Midori, soloist for the acclaimed and accomplished training orchestra on its annual benefit concert at the Music Center. If adjectives were not a renewable resource, the young Japanese violinist would already have exhausted the stock of critical superlatives.

For the first two movements of the Sibelius Concerto, Sunday evening at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Midori provided yet another demonstration of sovereign technique, on behalf of a mature, richly dramatic interpretation. Her sound is a variable wonder, always right for the passage, and her complete control of the notes allows her to focus the music as she wishes, not as she must.

Her quest for expressive contrast, however, began to exaggerate Sibelius’ vehement rhetoric in the third movement. Neither fiddling fire nor soulful song were ever lacking, but the bravura became increasingly brusque and the sentiment increasingly schmaltzy. Then near the end she slipped apart from the accompaniment, creating a finale that limped when it should have leaped.

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Conductor Mehli Mehta and the orchestra did their estimable best for Sibelius and Midori in accompaniment. Their work was vigorous and generally firmly pointed throughout.

After intermission, Mehta turned to Sibelius’ Second Symphony. He took a characteristically expansive approach to the familiar piece, respecting its formal idiosyncrasies while lavishing his attention on its emotional exigencies.

His young musicians gave him clear and balanced playing, ringing with palpable enthusiasm for the music. Mehta shaped it knowingly, holding enough in reserve to make the finale an orgy of radiant sound, lit by brilliant brass work.

Mehta began this program of Sibelius’ greatest hits with “The Swan of Tuonela.” Marilyn Schram played the dark, enigmatic English horn ecstasies with warm sound and pliant nuance. Brent Samuel shadowed her ardently in the cello solos, while Mehta underlined the most lugubrious aspects of the score.

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