Review: Rachlin, McElravy, Naples philharmonic take on a zippy program with panache

Got a nice little vehicle that serves as both a car for friend lifts and as a truck that could carry enough plants to feed a herd of deer.

In automotive parlance, it's a crossover. In musical parlance, my car is a sinfonia concertante.

The Naples Philharmonic shared just such a crossover, a blend of symphony and double concerto, Thursday night in its performance of Mozart's famous Sinfonia Concertante in E-flat Major at Artis—Naples.

And it couldn't have shared its crossover with a better pair of drivers than Julian Rachlin on violin and Sarah McElravy on viola. The two played so tightly, so clearly and so vibrantly that, with eyes closed, no one would suspect Rachlin was also conducting the chamber-sized Naples Philharmonic. 

Most of us, however, had our eyes open, and it was occasionally distracting to watch Rachlin mix conducting and performing.The most trying moments came at the beginning of the work, when he was conducting around McElravy, who was waiting onstage for her cue. 

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Part of that distraction may be because McElravy is a conductor who leans in intellectually and emotionally. As he told audience members at his preconcert talk, he doesn't want to simply "just wave my hands in the air," and studied the profession seriously. Sometimes on Thursday that did mean waving his violin and bow, paired in his left hand, in the air as he pulled out and pushed down sounds during the two works on which he performed with McElravy.  

For the record, Rachlin and McElravy are married. Not everyone who was watching Thursday knew that — or cared. The two are consummate musicians, polished and thoughtful in their approaches to their work together. They blew away the Bach Concerto for Two Violins in D minor,giving it nuances with volume that emphasize the drama in its insistent opening movement. 

It was probably the most graceful interpretation I've ever heard of the work. I would have listened to them play it again gladly. And theoretically, I can; the program repeats Saturday night (see information box). Both Rachlin and McElravy are back Sunday to perform in the Wang Chamber Music Series as well (see information box). 

The evening opened with concert comfort food, Mozart's overture to "The Marriage of Figaro." You can just hear the pratfalls, window leaps and pretty little lies in the music.

Rachlin also conducted Mendelssohn's ebullient Symphony No. 4, the "Italian." It was written naturally on one of the composer's trips to Italy, and it is espresso to the ears, as vivid and colorful today as it was for Mendelssohn's audiences. Even reluctant classical concertgoers love this one.

Aside from what seemed to be a lost pickup in the first minute, the performance was as caffeinated as the music; energetic, joyful and just another reason to want to come back Saturday night.

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Masterworks 2:

Mendelssohn's 'Italian' Symphony

Who: Julian Rachlin, violin and guest conductor, and Sarah McElvary, violin and viola with the Naples Philharmonic on a program of Mozart, Bach and Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 4, "Italian"

When: 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 17

Where: Hayes Hall, Artis—Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples

Tickets: $15-$72

To buy: artisnaples.org, 239-597-1900 or at the box office

Wang Chamber Music Series

When: 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 18

Where: Daniels Pavilion, Artis—Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples

Tickets: $48

To buy: artisnaples.org, 239-597-1900 or at the box office