Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, November 15, 2015 Performance

The Travelling Toe and  two friends attended the Sunday afternoon performance of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra at Bass Hall.  The concert consisted of selections from 3 different composers.

The guest conductor for the performance was Ignat Solzhenitsyn.  According to the program notes, Mr. Solzhenitsyn is a gifted artist  with an active career as both a conductor and pianist. He was an excellent conductor and lead the orchestra through some difficult music.  Here is hoping he will be engaged to return for another appearance with orchestra soon.

Ignat Solzhenitsyn
guest conductor

 The first piece played was "Ma mere l'oye" which is French for Mother Goose and was subtitled "Five Pieces for Children". Maurice Ravel. was the composer.  The first part is for Sleeping Beauty, the second about the little boy who left a bread crumb trail to find his way but instead all the crumbs was eaten by the birds.  The third is the Empress of the Pagodas, the fourth is for Beauty and the Beast and the 5th was titled The Fairy Garden.  

Each of the interludes were lovely.  But The Travelling Toe must admit that Ravel is a favorite composer.  And this music did not disappoint.

Maurice Ravel
1875-1937

After a short intermission for the orchestra to be re-set, the program continued.  William Clay, Principle Double Bassist for the orchestra, was the featured soloist.  He performed the Concerto for Double Bass and Orchestra in F-sharp minor composed by Serge Koussevitzky.  It is not often that the double bass is the solo instrument.  Mr. Clay was amazing and we thought the piece, maybe not one of our favorites was still interesting to hear.  It was fascinating to watch Mr.Clay work so hard and made such beautiful music on that huge instrument.

William Clay
soloist
Principle Double Bass
(photo courtesy of Dallas Morning News) 

Serge Koussevitzky
1874 - 1951

The program continued after a 20 minute intermission.  The orchestra played Sergei Rachmaninoff's Symphony No.1 in D Minor.  He composed it in 1895 and was only 22 at the time.

Sergei Rachmaninoff
1873 - 1943

Due to ill health The Travelling Toe was unable to remain for this part of the program so alas, no words on wisdom to share on it.  But after all Rachmaninoff rocks, so it had to be good!



Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra


Bass Hall

Bass Hall