Pasadena Symphony Presents Irreverent Take on 20th Century

Jorge Mester can rightly claim that every program on his 1999/2000 Pasadena Symphony agenda contains at least one 20th century piece, and there is even a three-concert “Explorer Series 2000” where every work hails from this century.

All right, so there is only one living composer (John Adams) in the pack, and hardly any of the pieces on tap will elicit nasty letters from even the most conservative subscribers. But the strategy proves that there is plenty of audience-friendly 20th century music out there, none more so than the extremely clever pairing of Kurt Weill’s suite from “The Threepenny Opera” with Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana” at the orchestra’s season-opener Saturday night.

For contrast, you can hardly beat the sleazy cynicism of Weill’s compact cabaret band set against Orff’s massive, bawdy, choral/orchestral circus. Yet both were written in Germany between the world wars, and in very different ways, both still confront the stuffed shirts of our time with impudent abandon.

Mester contributed some irreverence of his own by appearing in a black turtleneck shirt and bright-red suspenders, leading a dozen winds, piano, accordion and percussion in Weill’s 19-minute suite. It was not an ideal performance--the balances were a bit out of whack in the resonant Pasadena Civic Auditorium, the pacing was invigorating yet the rhythms didn’t really swing--but it still had plenty of clunky period charm.

Back in white tie for Orff, Mester knew exactly what to do--play it full out, with plenty of driving, accelerating swagger and brio, while also taking the trouble to mold the gentler choral passages with care. Tenor Glenn Siebert and bass-baritone Zheng Zhou took on the sometimes treacherously high vocal parts with variable success, and soprano Paula Seibel sounded sweetly delicate.

One could have asked for a crisper, more fervent response from the Pacific Chorale, but the Los Angeles Children’s Chorus was right on the mark.