Download The State Youth Orchestra once again impressively gives evidence

The State Youth Orchestra once again impressively gives evidence of its class ▄ Photo: Gerhard Kind ▄ E0408k
A grandiose performance with the “Goosebumps Factor”
The State youth Orchestra of Rheinland-Pfalz impressed an audience of over 600 in the Paulus Church with its extraordinary performance
BAD KREUZNACH. First
class music from young
musicians could be
experienced in the Paulus
church. Once again the
Foundation Kleinkunstbühne
(stage for the small arts) had
invited the State Youth
Orchestra of Rheinland-Pfalz
to present the resulted of their
intensively practised work.
100 exceptional young
musicians averaging 16 years
old played under the
leadership of Klaus Arp in the
church, which was almost full
to capacity with 600 people.
The performed a well known,
but nevertheless challenging
program, which no
professional orchestra could
have done better.
One of the most beautiful and
well-known symphonies of
the romantic age, the
symphony No. 4 in A-major,
the so-called “Italian” by
Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy
was the prelude to the concert.
The allegro movement was a
little cautious, but already
demonstrated a good feeling
for the finest dynamic
differences. The andante was
very decent and convinced
with its capable perfectly
flowing quavers without
rushing. The 3rd movement
showed some slight
weaknesses in the string
section, but the final
movement completely
compensated for this, where
the orchestra reached its
highest level and transferred
the fun of music playing to the
public.
The first high point was the
concerto for violoncello and
orchestra, op. 22 by Samuel
Barber from the year 1945.
Whilst Barber’s music is very
popular in the USA, his works
are less well known here. In
this concerto, which is
regarded as one of the most
challenging in cello literature,
the Polish-American soloist
Cecylia Barczyk-Borowsky
absolutely excelled. She
understood how to work
through the richness of
extended facets in the three
movements. Where a hard and
precise stroke and unusually
melodious effects dominated
the 1st movement, the 2nd
movement demonstrated the
rather more lyrical spectrum,
where she was ably supported
by above all wind instruments
and soloists. This resulted in a
high-tension calm spreading
over the concert hall. The 3rd
movement was dominated by
its virtuosity, which the soloist
mastered seemingly
effortlessly and with a great
deal of empathy.
The second part of the concert
was totally characterized by
the British composer Edward
Elgar, op 36, where he was
describing his friends, his
wife, and finally himself.
These variations are just so
diverse and demanded the
highest level of flexibility
from the whole orchestra,
extending from the quiet tones
through to an explosion of
sound. Particularly of note
were the most well known
Variations 9 and 14, which
both through their volume of
sound and their depth had the
“Goosebumps factor”.
The public rewarded the
extraordinary performance on
their feet with applause and
would not let the artistes go
without two encores: the
Ritsch-Ratsch-Polka and a
repeat of the 11th Enigma
Variation. Once again the
State Youth Orchestra has
shown how well young
musical talent can be
promoted in Rheinland-Pfalz
and what remarkable
performances they can
provide together. With the
program worked out in the
107 and 108 double-work
phase the orchestra will also
travel through several states in
the USA in October. Andrea
Wagner