Virtuosity in Festive Style From
Fenimore Chamber Orchestra
By T. STEPHEN WAGER
COOPERSTOWN – In its third appearance at Christ Church, Fenimore Chamber Orchestra offered a brilliant beginning to the holiday season with “Festive Strings.” Before the December 3 concert began, Thomas Wolf—founder and chair of the orchestra’s governing board—paid a touching tribute to all those present who have helped in the success of the orchestra. The concert itself began with one of the most daunting and demanding works for a string orchestra that Mozart ever composed.
The Divertimento in D Major, K 136 absolutely requires nothing less than a virtuoso ensemble and was dispatched with breathtaking ease. The andante middle section treated the audience to a warm and relaxed breath before a return to the almost impossible to execute Presto (and I do mean Presto) that Mozart demands. It is more than evident that an esprit de corps exists in Fenimore Chamber Orchestra from the conductor through to all members of the orchestra.
And the orchestra members themselves seem to gently tease their colleagues, creating the oft told situation where the best play best when playing with the best. This was truly jaw-dropping virtuosity executed like a neatly woven string of rare pearls.
The Pifa from Handel’s “Messiah” also offered a welcome breath for the audience. Usually performed in a somnambulistic state, in Maestro Żółtowski’s performance it is as if we have a merry band of dancing shepherds on hand created by a lovely lilt to this overly familiar work. Next on the program was Leroy Anderson’s “Suite of Carols.
“One forgets what charming and deft arrangements these are. They were lovingly executed by the orchestra and helped set a definite holiday mood. As an encore to the first half, Maestro Żółtowski offered a Polish Christmas Carol replete with a cheer by the orchestra members at the end. Brilliant programming indeed!
After the intermission came a true gem of the orchestral chamber music repertoire, Dvořák’s “Serenade for Strings,” Op 22. This glorious work is notorious for the difficulty with which the artists in the orchestra are faced. Most of the problem lay with Dvořák himself. The scoring is not only complex but tries the technique of even the greatest of string players. No such vicissitudes needed worry the listeners on that afternoon. All one can really say is the five movements were, again, breathtaking in their execution and deftness of style and for all the reasons cited above. A true triumph which at this point is not surprising. The delightful encore, another offering from Leroy Anderson, gave us the rare treat of hearing Maestro Żółtowski playing the sleigh bells as the percussion section.
How Fenimore Chamber Orchestra has, in a few short concerts, shown its expertise is a testament to all those involved.
Bravo! The final two concerts of the season are scheduled for March and June 2023. We look forward to them with great anticipation. Now to take a breath.