Piccoloist Deborah Baron pierces through the orchestra sound at DSO's Prokofiev program

The Dallas Symphony Orchestra performs at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center

On November 22, 2019, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra showcased a program featuring worldwide renowned virtuoso Maxim Vengerov. This program, the second performance of its kind that weekend, was a demanding collection of the Bruch Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in G minor, Ravel's Tzigane for Violin and Orchestra, and Prokofiev's Symphony No. 6 in E-flat minor, Op. 111. Additionally, the symphony brought in award-winning conductor Xian Zhang to communicate between the orchestra and soloist Vengerov.

Maxim Vengerov is a Grammy award-winning artist, known by many as one of the world's finest musicians. He did not fail to disappoint that night. His own rendition of the Bruch Violin Concerto was effortlessly splendid, best described as a chocolatey mix of effervescence. The first movement was rich and superfluous. Throughout the second movement, the master violinist extended an infinitely salacious melody into seemingly forever. The third movement exploded into a firework display of pure talent. Even more impressive, however, was Violin Soloist's zesty performance of Tzigane, hurling indefatigable energy and landing every pizzicato with utmost precision.

During the intermission, it was hard to keep still. The audience, rightfully impressed, awaited anxiously for Prokofiev Symphony.

One should know that Prokofiev is infamous for his rebellious deviation from classical music norms, bent on writing his own otherworldly melodies and pushing the envelope beyond a musician's capabilities. The Prokofiev Flute Sonata, for instance, is deviously difficult for its insane demands in the low notes and runs throughout the entire register.

The Prokofiev Symphony No. 6 is hard in its own style because the strings necessitate numerous, awkward runs and the winds occupy screeching, unearthly solos. Written posthumously to Prokofiev's triumphant Symphony 5, Symphony 6 is the evil twin of the latter, engraving a dark message that describes a war in which everyone "has wounds that cannot be healed. The melodies, therefore, formicate into an unsettling partiality, continually feeling as if there were insects under your skin.

Specifically for the flutists, the piccolo part occupies an impish, sour caricature that soars above the diabolical melody. DSO's piccoloist Deborah Baron took on an angry, searing tone herself that was a perfect lead for the sadistic high registers of flutists Welch and Buck. Once again, the flutists of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra lived up to their world-class reputation.

In the last movement, all hell broke loose as the trombone erupted into a blare and the violins cascaded a torrent of notes. Zhang's conducting, previously dignified, turned authoritative. The strings were somewhat uneven towards the end, albeit the overall cleanliness was much better than what most orchestras could handle. Pianist Gabriel Sanchez, notably, did an extraordinary job of handling the sinister interplay between the pianist and the clarinets.

Overall, the concert was extremely well programmed and performed. To purchase tickets to the Dallas Symphony's upcoming concerts, visit https://www.mydso.com/buy/tickets