Symphony’s return is a look at classics

A Spokane Symphony classics concert in December is as rare as … well, Christmas in July.

But the symphony was in exile from its Opera House home during the six weeks that “The Lion King” had a roaring success there.

So on Friday, the orchestra returns to the Opera House for a classics series concert with music by Bach, Handel and Saint-Saens. Music director Eckart Preu will conduct.

The symphony’s re-entry to the Opera House officially occurred with two Holiday Pops concerts last weekend. Usually the orchestra presents only the Holiday Pops and “The Nutcracker” in December.

“The challenge of doing a classics concert in December,” Preu says, “is to do something that does not ignore the fact it is December and only a week before Christmas, but not to double the kind of programming we had for Holiday Pops.

“We wanted to do somewhat that was festive and spiritual, and something seasonal but not too seasonal.”

Preu decided to program two works by Bach, opening Friday’s concert with the famous Toccata and Fugue in D minor for organ in Leopold Stokowski’s spectacular arrangement for large orchestra.

“It is a great showpiece for orchestra, exciting to listen to and fun to play – fun, but difficult,” the conductor says. “This is definitely not the ‘proper’ way we are supposed to view Bach now, but it is one way of looking at Bach.”

The other Bach work on Friday’s program shows the composer’s way of looking at Vivaldi.

Bach’s Concerto for Four Harpsichords and Strings is his arrangement of Vivaldi’s Concerto in B minor for Four Violins. Harpsichordists for this performance include Linda Siverts, Keith Thomas, Greg Presley and Bonnie Robinson.

Siverts has been the symphony’s principal keyboard player since 1983. Thomas, who serves as the orchestra’s principal oboist, also is organist at Our Lady of Lourdes Cathedral.

Presley, a graduate of Yale and Juilliard, teaches piano at Gonzaga University. Robinson, who will also play organ in Saint-Saens’ Symphony No. 3 on Friday, is organist at First Presbyterian Church and performs frequently as pianist with the choirs at Whitworth College.

“What attracted me to this Bach concerto was the sound of the four harpsichords,” Preu says. “When all four harpsichords play a trill at the same time it is an unforgettable effect.

“This concerto has a curiosity effect, something you can smile about, but at the same time, it is serious as always with Bach.”

Friday’s program also includes “The Royal Fireworks Music,” written by Bach’s famous contemporary Handel.

The “Fireworks Music” was originally written in 1748 for a large wind band to be played at a mammoth fireworks exhibit in London’s Green Park celebrating the peace treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle.

The first performance was a disaster: pandemonium set in after accidental fires started, swords were drawn in anger, and the spectators made panicked rush to the park’s exits. Handel rescued the music for indoor use by adding string parts.

“Here we will use the full orchestra but hopefully preserve the baroque spirit,” Preu says.

The conductor will join host Verne Windham for Classical Chats, the symphony’s pre-performance conversation, today at 12:15 p.m. in the council chambers at City Hall. The 30-minute program will be televised on City Cable Channel 5.

Preu also will talk about the music on Friday’s program as a part of the Gladys Brooks Pre-Concert Talks series in the Opera House auditorium at 7 p.m.