Glendale Symphony Plays Old Favorites

Imperiled orchestras are nothing new these days, as anyone who has followed the travails of San Diego’s orchestra knows. In a tough era for the symphonic muse, we’re understanding about veering away from protocol, as when the Glendale Symphony showed up with reduced orchestral forces, and made an unabashed plea for cash from the stage before intermission Saturday at the Glendale’s Alex Theatre.

Most important, the ensemble, in whatever incarnation, turned in a sharp, conscientious performance, proving its worthiness of being saved from ruin. Conductor Keith Clark led the truncated ranks in an evening of such familiar works as the Overture to Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” and Mendelssohn’s “Italian” Symphony, nonetheless edifying when delivered in such a clear, well-turned fashion.

The concert’s centerpiece, though, was violinist Sidney Weiss, the local fixture/hero who served as concertmaster of the Los Angeles Philharmonic for 15 years and is now leading the violins in Glendale. For the challenging terrain of Beethoven’s Violin Concerto, Weiss surrendered his chair to Isabella Lippi and showed his mettle and sentience as a stand-up soloist.

In a persuasive reading, Weiss played the score in a careful, dutiful way, preferring lucid definition to romantic overkill. Likewise, Clark’s overall approach to music that we’ve heard too many, yet never enough, times.