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Cincinnati Enquirer Sunday, September 24, 2000

Concert review

'Millennium Fantasy'
has auspicious CSO premiere

By Janelle Gelfand
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Over 106 years, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra has performed many premieres. On Friday, the orchestra continued the tradition with the world premiere of Millennium Fantasy for Piano and Orchestra by American composer Ellen Taaffe Zwilich.

It was communicative and accessible, both Zwilich hallmarks.

Called by Ms. Zwilich a "reflection" of the turn of the last century, Millennium Fantasy is a substantial addition to the repertoire that could endure to the next century.

Pianist Jeffrey Biegel, dedicatee and soloist, put together the commission with 27 orchestras.

The composer based the Fantasy on the folk song "Fair and Tender Maiden."

In two movements, the 18-minute piece was a vibrant dialogue between piano and orchestra.

Mr. Biegel's technique was suited to the writing, which demanded a unique blend of

jazzy percussiveness and lyricism. Coloristic touches included harp-like glissandos in the piano. A beautifully serene moment came in the second movement, when the pianist played with a fluid touch against softly sustained strings. He tackled the jazzy cadenza (which had Prokofiev-like bite) with exhilaration.

The CS0, conducted by Jesus Lopez-Cobos, gave it a dedicated and seamless performance. Ms. Zwilich shared the standing ovation from the Music Hall audience of 1,297.

The program concluded with Shostakovich's Symphony No. 15. The composer's final symphony, its quotes of. Rossini's William Tell Overture and Wagner make it a kind of "enigma." The work emphasizes orchestral Soloists, and the CSO principal players brought wonderful artistry to their moments in the sun.

Mr. Lopez-Cobos led with intensity, from the lean, lighthearted first movement to the quirky third movement. The finale, though, was directionless; the sum of its parts least convincing, so that the truly amazing conclusion didn't ring with emotion.