New world

Sunday was the New World, at least that one of Dvorak, and it was great fun.  I'd played it before but not with such pleasure, but I loved this take, perhaps quicker and more on edge.  It's not too difficult, but a few passages are tricky and mvt.3 zaps along but many of the melodies are just so lovely, friendly, welcoming.  THere was some last minute anxiety amongst the basses but it all happened.  Quite amusing, really; one for the records. And the rest of the program was good.  A world premiere from Ben Hoadley, NCO Artist in Focus 2025, fairly short and pleasant and nicely portaying the flowing stream it was named for as Riparian.  Then Kyle on solo bass for Mary Finsterer.  Even with some PA amplification, some enriching reverb and a reduced orchestra, he was sometimes overwhelmed, but his playing with masterful.  Lake ice portrayed lake ice perfectly well (if too expansive a lake) and sounded to me as lovely moody film music.  Kyle followed up with a solo bass number with references to his punk / e-bass background: shorter, unaccompanied, frequently chordal, rock punchy.  But the New World was the pull factor and it sat well and invited a good audience.  It's not uncommon to have touchy final run-throughs and even some chuckles when things go awry, but in concert there's a natural concentration that avoids such slips.  This was tight and satisfying and presented an inviting new world, perhaps more common these days in the concert hall than out.

National Capital Orchestra performed Dvorak, Hoadley and Finsterer in the Snow Concert Hall under Louis Sharpe (conductor, MD) and with soloist Kyle Ramsay-Daniel (double bass).