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Show V Symphony Concert Fails, To Present Appeal I5y MIKE SAFFLE Chronicle Staff Writer Friday night's penultimate Utah Symphony concert, with solists o- -Chausow, Sally Peck, and Netania Davrath, disappointed me rw By presenting Mahler's beautiful Fourth Symphony, the concert is vicusly cpen to ccmparison with the Utah Symphony's Nov. 29 pres ' ticn of "Das Lied von dor Erde," which made Friday's performance only weak and uninspired, but a departure from earlier and higher stalj aids. Opening with Wagner's insipid "Good Friday Spell" music from ,v music-drama "Parzifal," Abravanel and the Utah players gave an a quale, if hardly exceptionl performance. Wagner's music lost its J and dramatic forcefulness in Parzifal, and the Good Friday Sneir' weaker musically than many other excerptable orchestral sections B earlier Wagner operas. That this work is still presented frequently 1 concert never fails to surprise me. y 111 Sinfcnia Sounds Poised Mozart's willful and exquisite Sinfonia Concertante for violin viola, K. 364, with Chausow and Peck in the solo roles, sounded occasi ally assured and poised, more frequently hesitant, rough-hewn, and sl" shod. As I have mentioned earlier, the Utah Symphony, for one reas'P I or another, does not take to Mozart easily, and the orchestra's passahl" but flaccid accompaniment did not make up for Mr. Chausow's pitch p rcis or Miss Peck's excessively romanicized phrasing. Beautifli moments there were, but they were separated by long sections fraught with the perils of poor intonation, inexact, and even contradictory phras ing, and dull playing. When the orchestra and soloists finished the third movement everyone seemed glad to be finished, and I was among them Mahler, a local specialty, concluded the program; the Fourth Symphony, Sym-phony, with soprano Netania Davrath, was generally excellent, but fond memories cf former, finer Mahler performances spoiled the weaker Friday reading for me. The orchestra, under Abravanel's hand, worked some real wonders; balance, phrasing, and a striking interpretation were evident for the first time that evening. But details, such as wind soli and delicate string phrasing, -were frequently poorer, and the soloist a definite hindrance in the concluding movement. Miss Davrath sings clearly, but much too softly; her low range is undeveloped, her high voice occasionally strained, and her German coarsely pronounced. As emotional as Mahler's music is, Miss Davrath not once, insofar as I heard, sang a line with conviction or a lovely musical curve. Weak concerts by groups as generally fine as the Utah Symphony are not unknown, but I hope end-of-the-seasou difficulties will not mar the orchestra's final program next week. |