LV Philharmonic recites ‘Memoirs From Vienna’

Friday, Nov. 19, 2004 | 8:38 a.m.

In a tribute to great composers of Vienna, the Las Vegas Philharmonic makes three stops, two in the classical era and one in the late romantic, presenting an evening of Beethoven, Mozart and Brahms.

"Memoirs From Vienna," presented Saturday at UNLV's Artemus Ham Hall, features "Leonore Overture No. 3" from Beethoven's only opera, Brahms' last symphony, "No. 4 in E minor," and Mozart's "Sinfonia Concertante" in E flat for winds.

Performing soloists for "Sinfonia Concertante" are oboist Stephen Caplan, bassoonist Janis McKay, horn player Bill Bernatis and clarinetist Donald T. Foster.

Though Brahms settled in Vienna more than 100 years later and in a different musical period than did Beethoven and Mozart (even though Beethoven is known to have straddled the classical and romantic eras), he was credited with reviving principals of the three great composers of the classical era, particularly Beethoven.

His fourth symphony, doubted by the composer, yet considered to be one of the greatest symphonies, is well regarded by musical director Hal Weller, who describes it as "One of those pieces you can immediately fall in love with."

"The music is able to be appreciated on many levels," Weller said. "It's gorgeous. It's like taking a walk through the Viennese countryside when it's sunny in autumn."

Regarding the lighthearted "Sinfonia Concertante" in E flat for wind instruments, Weller said, "It's a real tour de force for instrumentalists. It's a real humorous piece. It's a lot of fun. It's not deep, not serious."

Revised several times before the opera took the name "Fidelio," Beethoven's "Leonore Overture No. 3" (named after its heroine) reflects the composer's anti-tyranny, anti-oppression, fight-for-freedom stance.

Weller said he has been wanting to put together a concert featuring the works of the masters and chose Beethoven, Mozart and Brahms based on audience surveys.

Three of the four soloists performing Mozart's "Sinfonia Concertante," Caplan, McKay and Bernatis, are principals of the philharmonic and members of Sierra Winds, a quintet founded in 1982, which has released three CDs and performs locally and nationally, including a performance at the Kennedy Center in 1995 for the center's 25th anniversary.

No stranger to Mozart, the ensemble has presented Mozart birthday celebrations, including one concert in which it performed "Sinfonia Concertante."

Foster is principal clarinetist of the Santa Barbara Symphony and second clarinetist of the Pasadena and New West Symphonies.