NBSO goes 3 for 3 with homeruns

We were sure we would enjoy the Rachmaninoff and the Beethoven, but came not knowing what to expect from the opening work, Sea Portraits by composer Stephen Paulus. I tend to associate most classical works composed after the early part of the 20th century with atonality and dissonance. Much to our delight, Sea Portraits was a lyrical celebration of the South Coast, open and accessible. Commissioned by the Symphony for its 90th anniversary, it is a work in four movements: Sunrise, Sailing, Storm and Moonlight on the Sea. For this Centennial performance, the Symphony had a marvelous addition: a visual portrait of the South Coast by artist John Robson that filled the backdrop behind the symphony. Described by Mr. Robson as “a stream of consciousness in color, shape and form,” the images perfectly accompanied the music. Next up was pianist Anne-Marie McDermott, a world-class performer whose mastery of the complex work was a marvel. The rhapsody involves a delightful back-and-forth between soloist and orchestra, and was performed by both with bravado. The orchestra was in full voice, with harp and three percussionists added to strings, brass and woodwinds. After a well-deserved standing ovation and curtain-call, Ms. McDermott rewarded the audience with a delightful short work by Liszt as an encore, a very common NBSO tradition. After intermission came Beethoven’s 7th – a late work showing his mastery of the symphonic form. Here we had no multi-media and no soloist, just a thoroughly polished symphony orchestra doing full justice to this magnificent work. If you missed this performance, it is a shame – but be sure not to miss the rest of the season.