Cascade Symphony brings back the ‘Italian,’ with a new twist

Published 2:33 pm Wednesday, October 22, 2008

The much-loved Symphony No. 4 with its joyous first movement and lively fourth movement is known as the “Italian” and was written by a swooning Felix Mendelssohn when he was overcome by the colors and atmosphere of Italy.

The German composer said at the time of his tour of Italy, “I am loving it. Today was so rich that now, in the evening, I must collect myself a little, and so I am writing to you to thank you, dear parents, for having given me all this happiness,” according to Wikipedia.

Mendelssohn finished the orchestral work in 1833 but was dissatisfied, though the work went on to be successful, raised the composer’s popularity and influenced British music for the rest of the century. Mendelssohn remained bitter about the piece and he never published it. The symphony only appeared in print after his death, the Web site said.

Despite Mendelssohn’s perfectionist tendencies, the piece remains much beloved today and even became part of the musical score for the 1979 movie “Breaking Away.”

Cascade Symphony Orchestra members will treat audiences to the beloved “Italian” again during their concert, “Italian Mendelssohn,” which begins at 7:30 p.m. Monday at Edmonds Center for the Arts.

Along with Symphony No. 4, the orchestra will perform an “An Evening at the Opera,” with aria selections from Puccini, Rossini, Verdi and more, arranged for euphonium.

For those pieces, the orchestra will feature soloist Adam Frey on euphonium.

Frey is known as being in the elite class of players of the euphonium, which looks like a small tuba and has the musical range of a trombone.

Frey has been described as being an intellectual player with mature musicianship and a charismatic stage presence.

A native of Atlanta, Ga., he has traveled throughout the world for concert appearances in which he’s appeared with orchestras, wind bands, brass bands and as a soloist, according to his biography on the Web.

Frey has made two solo recordings, “Listen to THIS!!” and “Collected Dreams,” which features a collection of traditional Scottish, Irish and classical melodies that combine the euphonium with synthesizer accompaniments with a new age sound.

Frey also appears on 10 other recordings as a collaborator and has been a featured soloist in broadcasts on BBC Radio 2, Swiss Cable Radio and on numerous National Public Radio stations in the United States.

For more about Frey, go to his Web site at www.adamfrey.net, which contains sound files from live concerts.