Posted by Matt G on September 17, 2001 at 07:05:32:
In Reply to: what is everyones thoughts of the JSO posted by John on September 15, 2001 at 15:18:48:
My ideas on this have almost nothing to do with the brass section. For that matter the woodwinds either. As you can see in the wind section competition now (i.e. tuba auditions), that everyone at the audition is very highly skilled. The difference that separates the top orchestras from the others is the string section. I am not saying that the string players in smaller market orchestras are weak, but the ability of the strings especially the cellos and basses of the "top five" or the really good orchestras is incredibly high. Also, the big markets have usually a few more basses and cellos than smaller markets. I feel that a lot of the depth and breadth of the sound from groups like the CSO/NYPO/Philly/etc. comes from the added sonority of these extra string players. Lastly, these string players tend to have better instruments throughout the sections and that also factors in.
So...
I have heard the JSO and it is a very good orchestra. It does not sound like a top whatever orchestra, but it is well executed and will always be a rewarding experience. Sometimes the "transparency" in these groups because of a few less players allows us to hear more of the inner nuances of the compositions intentions. For example, one of the best recordings of Mahler 1 was done by the Florida Philharmonic (I think that is correct, and I believe it was Jay Bertolet's group) out of Miami. This recording does not sound like a lot of the overplayed, overly loud renditions of Mahler. Upon listening, you can hear more of the emotion Mahler was tryind to convey and parts that you may have never heard are present because of the transparency of the texture. This also make the "loud stuff" more impacting because of the larger contrast of the two.
Then...
Any professional orchestra that is in continuous operation will 99 times out of 100 be worth the ticket of admission. Also, you cannot compare this group to another because conductor, hall, repertiore, and many other factors give this group and any other a certain signature difference that is hard to compare.
Bottom line...
They are well worth the price of admission.
Matt G