SAN DIEGO — While Yoav Talmi was Music Director of the San Diego Symphony, the orchestra made seven recordings, testaments to the high level the orchestra had achieved during his tenure. The first recording, in 1993, featured music by Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943).
It included his tone poem, The Isle of the Dead, Vocalise, Capriccio Bohémien and the premiere recording of Respighi’s orchestration of five of Rachmaninoff’s Etudes Tableaux. “This is probably the finest recording I did with the SDSO,” remarked the Israel-born conductor.
Rachmaninoff ‘s inspiration for The Isle of the Dead was the black and white reproduction of a painting by Arnold Boeckin which he saw in Paris. It was of an island of volcanic origin north of the Gulf of Naples.
“I think that this is one of the most penetrating, piercing, and poignant works ever written” commented Talmi.
Prior to his performance of Isle of the Dead with the San Diego Symphony, Talmi made a special trip to New York City to see Boeckin’s original oil painting, which hangs in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
For the live concert in Copley Symphony Hall, the lights were dimmed, the musicians used stand lights, and the image of the painting was projected above the orchestra. The music and painting together had a mesmerizing affect on the audience.
“The 5/8 meter enters both the performers and listeners into restlessness, anxiety and agitation,” described the conductor.
The piece opens softly with the lower strings imitating the sounds of oars in the water. The music gradually rises in intensity until, in the middle of the work, it bursts into a song of lamentation for the dead. Throughout the work, there are references to Dies Irae from the Mass for the Dead, used frequently in compositions having to do with death. Finally, there is a return to the undulating rhythm, suggesting the motion of water. The music dies away into the peace and calm evoked by the picture.
As I listen to this work, I am reminded of some of the outstanding musicians who made up the SDSO when Yoav Talmi was the conductor, and how this high level ensemble was forced into bankruptcy in 1996.
Many in the orchestra suffered during those two and a half years until the orchestra was revived.
Of those musicians who remained, the principal horn, John Lorge was able to get work in the Hollywood studios in Los Angeles. Some learned other skills, such as massage therapy. Many needed to take out loans and depend on food banks. Most of our principal players found work elsewhere, in some of the finest orchestras in our country and abroad.
Concertmaster Igor Gruppman, who led the violins in this recording, won the post of concertmaster of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. Dennis Michel, whose Deis Irae solo is heard near the end, took a position with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Our principal violist, Karen Dirks, was hired by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra as well. Our second bassoon, Arlen Fast became the contrabassoonist of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, and our principal flutist, Damian Bursill-Hall, was accepted into the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Our principal bass, Jonathan Greene, became principal of the Seattle Symphony and violist, Joel Belgique, continues as principal of the Oregon Symphony Orchestra.
Yoav Talmi went on to become the conductor of the Quebec Symphony, Canada’s oldest, and the Chief Conductor of the Hamburg Symphony in Germany. Currently, he is Conductor Emeritus of the Quebec Symphony and Professor of Conducting at Tel Aviv University’s Bachmann-Mehta School of Music. He continues his career as a guest conductor with major orchestras throughout the world, but due to the pandemic all are facing, he devotes most of his time to composing.
His latest compositions include a Symphony for Soprano and Orchestra (“How she sat alone”), a Concerto for Cello, Strings and Percussion, a Clarinet Quintet and a Divertimento for Wind Quintet.
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Eileen Wingard, a retired violinist with the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, is a freelance writer specializing in coverage of the arts. She may be contacted via eileen.wingard@sdjewishworld.com
ALWAYS MANY THANKS, DEAR EILEEN, FOR HELPING US VISUALIZE THE MUSIC, BECOME INSPIRED BY YOUR WORDS ABOUT THE MUSIC AND APPLAUD FROM AFAR AND LONG AGO THE WORK AND DEVOTION OF YOAV TALMI AND YOUR COLLEAGUES IN THE SAN DIEGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA!
As always, fascinating article by Eileen Wingard whose contributions to musical review and background I never miss. She makes following this news venue a must for me. Catherine Hand