Édouard Lalo's "Symphonie espagnole" is not a great work of art. But it's a great violin showpiece. In the hands of a master showman like Joshua Bell, performing with the Minnesota Orchestra Tuesday night at Orchestra Hall, it was an exciting entertainment.
The evening was a real event. At the outset, the sellout audience gave both the orchestra and conductor Osmo Vänskä standing ovations at their first entrances.
Lalo wrote "Symphonie espagnole" for Spanish violinist Pablo de Sarasate, a superstar of the late 19th century, and it requires a superstar to fully execute it. Bell dazzled.
When he performed with the orchestra on their European tour in 2009, Bell and Vänskä became keen collaborators. Their closeness was obvious in the way they communicated onstage. They were perfectly in sync.
From the violin's first brief entrance with its exquisitely played stratospheric high notes to the luxurious legato melodies, Bell displayed technical virtuosity. Even more, he made the flashy music strike an emotional chord.
The final movement opened with a darker tone, the orchestra creating a lush sound that matched Bell's plaintive music making. The work concluded with pyrotechnics from Bell, a final burst of gaiety.
The forces received another cheering standing ovation that continued long after the houselights came up.
The concert opened with another Spanish-themed work, Rimsky-Korsakov's "Capriccio espagnol." The orchestra delivered a rousing performance.
