Columbus Symphony Orchestra
Rossen Milanov, conductor
David Thomas, clarinet
Ohio Theatre
Columbus, OH
February 18, 2023

Price: Andante ma non troppo from Symphony No. 3 in C minor
Berio/Brahms: Op. 120 No. 1
Schubert: Symphony No. 4 in C minor, D417, Tragic

It has been deeply gratifying to see renewed attention given to the formidable work of Florence Price in the past few years. Last year’s Grammy for best orchestral performance went to the Philadelphia Orchestra’s warmly recommended recording of her First and Third symphonies under Yannick Nézet-Séguin – an ensemble of which Rossen Milanov served as assistant conductor for almost a dozen years before coming to Columbus. Last weekend’s Columbus Symphony program opened with the slow movement of the Third Symphony.

A plaintive choir of winds began, with a tuneful melody gently unfolding. Like Dvorák before her (as in the New World symphony, heard here two weeks prior), Price purveyed a language steeped in folk tradition without making use of specific quotations. A passage for brass chorale was particularly affecting and distinctly American in character before the movement reached a serene ending, aided by a touch of harp. It certainly whetted one’s appetite for more, and I hope the complete symphony can be programmed in an upcoming season.

Though at the forefront of the avant-garde, Luciano Berio had a knack for faithfully transcribing other composers’ works for various media (including a particularly delightful selection of Beatles songs). A 1986 commission from the Los Angeles Philharmonic saw him transcribe Brahms’ late Clarinet Sonata in F minor, Op. 120 No. 1 for soloist and orchestra. Championing the work was David Thomas, serving as the CSO’s principal clarinet since 1989.

Passionate, brooding beginnings were had, with Berio’s orchestration inimitably Brahmsian as he left his iconoclastic proclivities far behind – the work sounded almost as the clarinet concerto Brahms never wrote. Thomas’ rich tone was well-suited to this autumnal work, finely balanced with the larger ensemble, and conveying a natural chemistry with his orchestral colleagues. The slow movement proceeded as a long-breathed song without words – really gorgeous – while an Allegretto grazioso charmed with its inflections of the ländler in both rhythm and spirit. A repeated motif marked the closing Vivace, a finale of appropriate vigor.

Another C minor symphony closed the program, namely Schubert’s Tragic. Weighty introductory material announced the minor tonality in no uncertain terms; the movement proper brimmed with Sturm und Drang in this early expression of Romanticism. The primary theme was deftly articulated in the strings, and a development section traversed distant keys before the movement landed – quite surprisingly – in the major.

The Andante boasted one of Schubert’s loveliest melodies, first presented in the strings with a touching countermelody in the oboe, searching for peace amidst the tumult of the rest of the work. The minor key shading gave the minuet added vigor, a contrast heightened by the lilting trio. Milanov leapt right in the to the finale – perhaps in reaction to some of the audience’s insistence on applauding after every movement. Matters felt a tad rushed, but this was an energetic outing nonetheless, leading to a dramatic finish.