Fest ends with Gershwin work

The Elgin Symphony Orchestra's annual spring "American Icon" festival, part of its multi-year "In Search of Our American Voice" artistic initiative, concludes this weekend with concerts devoted to the music of George Gershwin.

Music Director Robert Hanson and the ESO have been joined by the renowned French pianist Pascal Rogé, who has undertaken a challenging assignment: two piano concertos in each of four concerts, eight concertos in all through Sunday.

Evidenced by Friday's matinee at the Hemmens Theatre, Rogé is more than equal to the task, offering Gershwin's iconic jazz-influenced Concerto in F Major, paired with the Concerto in G Major by Gershwin's French contemporary, Maurice Ravel.

The pairing of these concertos was done with much thought by Hanson, because Gershwin and Ravel knew each other well, and the American composer was so impressed with his French impressionist counterpart that he sought composition lessons. But Ravel declined, telling Gershwin he would only learn to write "second-rate Ravel rather than first-rate Gershwin."

Anyway, Ravel's concerto contains many of the same jazz and blues elements found in Gershwin's piece, premiered five years earlier, thanks, in part to Ravel's visit (accompanied by Gershwin) to Harlem and other New York jazz and blues centers during his four-month 1928 concert tour of the United States.

Rogé's interpretations of the two concertos dovetail nicely, with Gershwin's rhythmic outer movements surrounding a melancholy second movement with its blues-like trumpet solo. The concerto took Gershwin (1898-1937) about seven months to compose (a commission by the New York Philharmonic-Symphony and its conductor, Walter Damrosch).

Premiered in 1925 at Carnegie Hall, it remains the most often-performed of all 20th century American concertos.

The Ravel G Major Concerto opened the second half of Friday's concert, and this time, Rogé emphasized the poetic side of his artistry, but still not for a moment avoiding the concerto's basic virtuosity. Gershwin's influence on Ravel's writing is most evident in the piece's quieter moments.

Hanson wrapped up the concert with a rousing interpretation of Gershwin's "An American in Paris," a symphonic poem influenced by the composer's personal visits to the "city of lights" in the 1920s. Gershwin's only major orchestral work composed strictly for his own pleasure (as opposed to a paid commission), "An American in Paris" paints a vivid picture with its authentic Paris taxi air-horns accenting the opening "boulevard stroll" montage, with many more wonderful Gershwin melodies to follow.

ESO 'American Icon' fest>

Elgin Symphony Orchestra

What: Robert Hanson conducts music by George Gershwin and Maurice Ravel

Guest soloist: Pianist Pascal Rogé

Where: Hemmens Theatre, 45 Symphony Way, Elgin

When: 8 p.m. Saturday, 3:30 p.m. Sunday

Tickets: $25-$63. Call (847) 888-4000, or visit elginsymphony.org.