MUSIC REVIEW : Carl St. Clair, Pacific Symphony Close Season : With the conductor’s penchant for drawn-out tempos, Dmitri Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony eventually sinks of its own weight.
COSTA MESA — We often hear Dmitri Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony end in a blaze of triumph. Rarely do we hear it end in the “forced†rejoicing, “created under threat, as in ‘Boris Godunov’ †that the composer talks about in his putative memoirs.
Pacific Symphony music director Carl St. Clair offered a third alternative Wednesday when he led the orchestra in its final program of the season at the Orange County Performing Arts Center. Unfortunately, it partook neither of the exultation of the former nor the bitter epiphany of the latter.
Initially, the approach seemed viable enough, if uncommon. Instead of conflict and electric tension, St. Clair emphasized a kind of pervasive desolation. Perhaps it was his vision of the oppression under which the composer--still usually misrepresented as a “committed†Communist Party member--agonized.
But with St. Clair’s penchant for drawn-out tempos--not only in the slow movement but also virtually anywhere he could expand upon a idea--the work eventually sank of its own weight.
As usual, some of the fine wind playing in the symphony could be traced to James Kanter, the principal clarinetist of the orchestra who also was the superb soloist in the concerto that Aaron Copland wrote for Benny Goodman.
A master of breath control, whether in the serene opening theme or the cascading arpeggios that soon followed, Kanter could create prismatic colors whenever he wanted.
He also revealed an impish spirit as he launched into the central cadenza. From then on, it was warm, smooth and seemingly improvisatory sailing, with bluesy, bent notes and jazz inflections applied with taste.
St. Clair followed attentively, but the accompaniment often sounded squarish. At least he avoided the pitfall of highbrows who try to swing but actually sound as if they are slumming.
The program opened with a deliberative reading of the Overture to Mozart’s “Die Zauberflote,†marred by ensemble imprecision.
The program was dedicated to Marcy Mulville, one of the founders of the orchestra who is retiring as chairman of the board. Brought on stage by St. Clair and executive director Louis Spisto before the second half of the program, Mulville received accolades and a bouquet of roses and gave a short speech of thanks that began with an expression of gratitude to founding music director Keith Clark.
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