Rachmaninoff a la Ohlsson at San Diego Symphony

The San Diego Symphony concert on Saturday, May 6, started off with a new piece of music entitled Onward by Brian Raphael Nabors. This composition took me by surprise. I am always skeptical of new compositions and, more times than not, my skepticism is confirmed by a soulless piece of random sound effects.

Onward has a soul. As is my practice, I avoided reading any explanation of the piece by the composer until after I heard it. The music must stand on its own, free of any program. I was struck by what I would call optimism in the music. I also sensed structure and purpose. What was this? A new piece of music that has a discernible tone is rare.

I went ahead and looked into what Nabors had to say about his composition. “Onward is an homage to the triumphs and growth we experience along the epic journey of life. The piece is a 10-minute soundscape to celebrate the dreams and aspirations that motivate us to become our best selves. The consistent use of perpetual motion throughout the texture of the orchestra is meant to capture the spirit of constantly traveling onward either philosophically or quite literally. I aspired to create a musical journey depicting the moments of discovery, innovation, and change that continually push us and our world into the future.”

One idea, in particular, stands out there...”celebrate the dreams and aspirations that motivate us to become our best selves.” That is a worthwhile intention for a piece of music to have. Well done Mr. Nabors.

Lutoslawski's Concerto for Orchestra was the next piece. It is a masterpiece of modern classical music. The piece is a complex and intricate work that showcases the composer's mastery of orchestration and his ability to create a rich and dynamic musical landscape. There is also a feeling of structure and purpose to the music. Make no mistake, it is modern but it is also recognizable as music.

The headliner for the concert was pianist Garrick Ohlson and Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 There was many an “mmmmhhhh” at my table. This is an “mmmm” followed by an additional exhale through the nose. It is usually reserved as a response to something or, more often, someone that is exceedingly beautiful and sexy.

No one is going to accuse Rachmaninov of looking sexy but this piano concerto oozes romance from start to finish. I found myself observing couples who were in my area and wondering if “it” was going to happen for them after the concert.

Garrick Ohlson's performance was a stunning display of technical virtuosity and emotional depth. The concerto's complex and demanding passages were executed flawlessly, with Ohlson's playing seamlessly blending with the orchestra's accompaniment. He conveyed the full range of Rachmaninoff’s emotions.

Conductor Robert Spano is understated with his mannerism but his music-making with the orchestra cannot be overstated. This was a great concert.