ASO pulls together for new symphony from Prior

First up was Debussy’s “Première rhapsodie for Clarinet and Orchestra,” featuring Laura Ardan. An ASO icon, Ardan has been the orchestra’s principal clarinet since 1982. Trim and glamorous, with long blond hair, she helps anchor the woodwinds, the single most distinctive ingredient in the orchestra’s unique sound.

When she last performed the Debussy “rhapsodie” here in 1991, AJC critic Derrick Henry said she “ ‘reeds’ much into a melody,” and that is true today, as indicated by her stellar performance of this virtuosic work. The ending was perhaps a bit jazzier than it would have been in Debussy’s time, a twist that worked for me. So did the orchestra, again under Music Director Robert Spano, which seemed to have much of its old transparent sound back. If there were a few iffy entrances, they were well within the normal range of error.

Prior likes to say that his 2011 Symphony No. 3, an ASO premiere, is “pure music” rather than a narrative work. Still, it evokes a strong sense of human experience and, as the composer also said, a journey.

From its noirish film-score opening to powerful crescendos, sad funeral sounds, bits that reminded me of John Corigliano’s best works, and an optimistic ending, the 40-minute piece is always engaging and the soundscape is constantly changing. Prior is a fine orchestrator, using the full range of colors available.

It would be nice if, just once, the ASO could play something truly radical. The “new music” here all sounds vaguely similar. That said, and despite its essential conservatism, this was the best new work I’ve heard here. Prior is rapidly becoming Atlanta’s preeminent composer.

Given a new, ambitious score, the orchestra came through rather nicely. For this big piece there were 56 regular players (up from 40 last week, as the regulars trickle back from obligations elsewhere), and 20 substitutes. In an interview, Prior revealed that Spano had been able to make numerous small improvements in the work over the rehearsal period, suggesting both the conductor’s fluency with new music and, significantly, the orchestra’s return to a level of comfort where this was possible.

Things were going so well! And then we got Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5. Not part of the original program, it was presumably chosen because it’s a warhorse these guys should be able to knock out with finesse. The only question ought to be the interpretive spin of the conductor. Unfortunately, the performance was marred by wandering intonation from the strings and a lack of overall tightness. Spano seemed to be coddling, sticking to a steady rhythmic pace to hold things together. The outer movements were best, but it was all a bit jarring.

It is as if last week’s focused, celebratory audience left town and the old crowd returned. Empty seats were everywhere. Standing ovations are doled out here as a polite ritual, so it was strangely startling when most of the audience failed to stand for Ardan. Yikes!