Berkeley Symphony Orchestra presents Relevance featuring guest conductor Christian Reif and cellist Joshua Roman
Zellerbach Hall Auditorium
U.C. Berkeley, Bancroft Way at Telegraph Ave, Berkeley, CA 94305 USA
8:00 PM, Thursday, January 26, 2017

• Mason Bates: Cello Concerto
• Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No. 4 in B-flat major

[8:05 PM lights down, announcements from Rene Mandel; tuning]

Mason Bates AKA DJ Masonic (b.1977): Cello Concerto (2014; Bay Area premiere), featuring cellist Joshua Roman

1. [8:08 PM] Con moto–Grazioso–Con moto
2. [8:16 PM] Serene
3. [8:23 PM] Léger
   [work ends 8:35 PM; applause for a minute or two]
    
   Solo Encore
4. [8:36 PM] (unidentified tune)
   [set ends 8:39 PM; applause until 8:41 PM]

[9:03 PM lights down, tuning]

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827): Symphony No. 4 in B-flat major, Op. 60 (1806)

1. [9:04 PM] Adagio – Allegro vivace
2. [9:16 PM] Adagio
3. [9:25 PM] Allegro vivace
4. [9:31 PM] Allegro ma non troppo
   [show ends 9:38 PM; applause for a couple minutes, then we all head off into the night]

Berkeley Symphony Orchestra

• Joana Carneiro: conductor (absent on medical leave), music director; others vary by program, see http://www.berkeleysymphony.org/about/musicians/.

• Christian Reif: conductor;
• Joshua Roman: cello.

Bate's piece was composed for Joshua Roman, who also performed it's premiere in Seattle in 2014, and Roman tossed it off tonight with élan, playing from memory as if nothing could be easier. Wow, what fun to watch! Roman also gave us a couple of minutes for a sparkling encore piece – something newgrassy and full of extended technique. Too bad he didn't bother to identify the work to the crowd! And so far, nothing posted about it to his Twitter feed or Facebook wall, so that detail remains elusive!

The second set featured a finely wrought rendition of Beethoven's 4th Symphony. You know, the one that comes between the heroic 'Eroica' and the da-da-da-DUM of the 5th. Sounded pretty fresh to me last night, and I dare say that the BSO was a bit better prepared for this one than on some nights past. Good for them! I was shocked and surprised that the crowd seemed too tired to stand up and clap at the end … the performance was well worth a standing ovation! Thanks folks!

Janos Gerben wrote a nice Promo article for SFCV.

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