You usually don't get to hear Sergei Prokofiev's cautionary symphonic fairy tale Peter and the Wolf performed live outside of a children's concert.
But the Arkansas Symphony boldly brought it out for a just-an-hour Intimate Neighborhood Concert program Thursday night at Little Rock's St. James United Methodist Church. And there was nothing childish, condescending, cloying or confectionery about the performance.
Geoffrey Robson deftly conducted with just-right tempos, helping to dramatize Prokofiev's tone painting and paying close attention to dynamics.
He got some truly enjoyable sounds out of the chamber orchestra -- 19 strings playing the first title role, three horns playing the other, with one woodwind on a part (representing a cheerful bird, a quarrelsome duck, a conniving cat and a grumpy grandfather), plus a trumpet, a trombone and two percussionists (representing a group of gun-happy hunters).
The final triumphal procession, including the composer's clever grandfather-cat duet, was the capstone, and actor Courtney Bennett's charming narration struck just the right "note" throughout.
The other half of the program, Benjamin Britten's Simple Symphony was the perfect companion piece, uncomplicated to listen to, though it's perhaps not quite so simple to perform. The 19 string players romped their way through Britten's four highly alliterative movements -- "Boistrous Bouree," "Playful Pizzicato" (demonstrating various bow-less playing techniques, from plucking to strumming), "Sentimental Sarabande" (lush, lavish, legato and lovely) and "Frolicsome Finale." Here, too, Robson had a sure grasp of tempos and made the most of the church's excellent sonics.
Robson, Bennett and the players will repeat the program for a "run-out" concert, 3 p.m. March 26 at Hot Springs' Garvan Woodland Gardens. Ticket information is available by calling (800) 366-4664 or (501) 262-9300.
Metro on 03/10/2017