FRENCH HORN soloist Meredith Brown signs autographs for
students at the Vallejo Symphony concert Saturday at
Hogan High School in Vallejo. Photo by Kevin Hill
Review by Elizabeth Warnimont
Special to The Herald
The most recent offering from the Vallejo Symphony
Orchestra, an evening of “Mostly Mozart” featuring guest
conductor Pamela Martin and French horn soloist Meredith
Brown, provided a taste of something spectacular Saturday
night, begging an encore after an exciting trio of pieces by
Mozart and R.G. Strauss.
The evening was so entertaining, it’s a shame we have to
wait until May 1 for the next opportunity to witness this
splendid and ever-improving artistic ensemble, which has
flourished under the gifted leadership of Maestro David
Ramadanoff.
Ramadanoff has been conducting the VSO since 1983. Its
musicians perform regularly with Vallejo and other major
area orchestras. Ramadanoff previously served as conductor
of the San Francisco Symphony and principal conductor of the
San Francisco Conservatory of Music; he is the recipient of
several national and international awards.
He is also instrumental in the VSO’s local outreach
programs, which include a mini concert series involving
small ensembles playing in area schools.
Always a crowd pleaser, the group seems to suffer only
from a lack of exposure. Vallejo and Benicia residents are
continually surprised to discover that we have a
professional symphony orchestra right here in our own
backyard. This hidden gem deserves to be less hidden.
Last weekend’s concert began with Mozart’s “Overture to
Don Giovanni,” conducted by Assistant Conductor Pamela
Martin. Shortly after the powerful, foreboding minor chord
opening, the lingering strains of the cellos captured the
audience, drawing them into the musical story. If the tempo
felt a bit slow at first, perhaps it was intended to create
an eagerness for the listener, drawing us toward the more
lively theme that followed directly on the heels of the
somber introduction.
The violin section is the focus of this piece, enhanced
by an array of other strings and highlighted with bright
winds, but the timpani drum seemed to be the instrument last
weekend that kept the number alive and on its toes. The
timpanist’s part is small but crucial, and Len Sperry
carried out the role with enthusiasm and artful precision.
The legend of Don Giovanni, better known as Don Juan, is
playfully mocked in this operatic masterpiece. More
information about the story behind the music can be found by
selecting “Program Notes” on the symphony’s Web site,
www.vallejosymphony.org.
The second piece, sandwiched between two Mozart works,
was one of the most popular classical works ever to
highlight the French horn: Strauss’s “Horn Concerto No. 1 in
E Flat Major.” Written in 1883, the music was heavily
influenced by Mozart, Ramadanoff said. “In this work the
19-year-old Strauss clearly follows the classical tradition
he learned from Mozart while demonstrating that he already
has considerable mastery and a strong musical personality of
his own,” the maestro noted. It is not surprising to learn
that Strauss’s father, Franz Strauss, was principal horn for
the Bavarian Orchestra, providing his son with a keen
appreciation of the instrument’s unique emotional
capabilities.
“Although this concerto contains classical elements, it
also contains many romantic passages,” explained VSO board
member Mary Eichbauer, “especially in the lyrical,
expressive second movement.”

MEREDITH BROWN and her husband, principal trombonist
Bruce Chrisp, at a post-concert reception at the
McCree-Goudeau Art Gallery in Vallejo.
Kevin Hill photo
Meredith Brown, principal horn player for the VSO, wowed
the audience with her masterful and tender rendition. The
award-winning musician performs with eight different
orchestras in the Bay Area, but especially enjoys working
with Ramadanoff, “one of my favorite conductors,” she said
in a recent interview. Brown, who earned her master’s degree
from the San Francisco Conservatory, previously performed
with the San Francisco Symphony, S.F. Opera and S.F. Ballet,
along with other performance groups.
The final selection of the evening was Mozart’s “Symphony
No. 39 in E Flat Major,” the first of the composer’s final
three symphonies, all written during the summer of 1788,
three years before his death. The most powerful portions of
the work showed off the best of the VSO’s string component.
The musicians were in exceptionally polished form,
apparently more swept up in the spirit of the music than in
the first two pieces. The reeds sounded sweet, the strings
were tightly synchronized, and the nuances in tempo and
volume flowed supremely among all the sections. Timpanist
Sperry remained strong and precise throughout the evening.
VSO board president Bonnie Bernhardt made a special
announcement at last weekend’s performance: the Syar
Foundation has recently challenged the organization with a
matching grant opportunity. New donations to the orchestra
will be matched up to a maximum of $12,500, which the group
hopes to meet before their next scheduled concert on May 1.
For information on tickets or donations, visit
www.vallejosym-phony.org or call 643-4441.