Pacific Symphony, Daniel Hege, conductor, Paul Jacobs, organist
First, the misadventures of Dukas’ magician-in-training, made popular by Disney’s “Fantasia.” Then, Poulenc’s Organ Concerto, by turns lyrical, foreboding and plaintive, featuring lovely harmonic conversations with the strings. In Schubert’s “Unfinished” Symphony, melody follows melody to its premature ending and one is always left thinking “If only.” Finally, the program ends as it begins, with a merry prankster — and some of Strauss’ most brilliant orchestrations. |