Pioneer Press reviews Gordon premiere

The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra rounds out its season with a spot of joy, featuring Hungarian guest conductor Gábor Takács-Nagy. With spry physicality, Takács-Nagy led the orchestra in emphasizing the contrasts and also surprises held with the music of Ludwig van Beethoven, Claude Debussy and Edvard Grieg.

Principal clarinet player Sang Yoon Kim got the spotlight for the first Debussy piece, “Premiére rhapsodie,” (First rhapsody). Debussy first composed the work for clarinet and piano, and later published a version for a full orchestra. The SPCO along with the Swedish Chamber Orchestra and the Hong Kong Sinfonietta commissioned composer Geoffrey Gordon to compose a new orchestration that requires fewer instruments than Debussy’s orchestral version. This weekend’s performance marks the world premiere of Gordon’s take. It’s a lush expression of musical excellence.