Violin Concerto – Canadian Works Well Received

By Richard Todd, Ottawa Citizen

Ottawa Symphony

At the National Arts Centre’s Southam Hall Monday, Nov. 15

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Two pieces by Canadian composers, and guess what? Each was well received by the Ottawa Symphony’s audience Monday evening. First was the Carnival Overture by Oskar Morawetz (1917-2007), who spent virtually all of his working life in Toronto. This piece was written just for the fun of it, with no expectation of having it performed. Happily, it came to the attention of conductor Sir Ernest MacMillan, who premiered it on Dominion Day 1946. It’s a well-crafted, cheery piece, if a little short of being memorable. Conductor David Currie led a well-played and spirited account.

Next came a piece that was memorable without qualification, Andrew P. MacDonald’s 1991 Violin Concerto. MacDonald, born in 1958, is a well-established composer whose music is frequently performed. It is in the traditional three movements, but with some differences. The first movement follows a slow-fast-slow scheme and since the movements are connected by cadenzas the concerto comes across almost like a symphonic poem. The orchestration is first-rate and the solo part is frequently dazzling. Happily, violinist Robert Uchida seemed entirely on top of its considerable technical and musical demands. Conductor Currie led the orchestra in a well-focused accompaniment, also no small achievement.