The good news is there are two more concerts coming with Peter Jaffe conducting the Auburn Symphony.  In this Masterworks Concert Series, this concert, “High Spirits,” was number two.  The next in the series is set for March 21 and 22, 2015, with a program of Wagner, Mozart and Sibelius; and the last in the series, “Dancin’ In Your Seat,” with works of Gershwin; Beethoven; Mexican composer, Silvestre Revueltas; and Ravel will be performed on May 17, 2015.  The Auburn Symphony, led by a giant conductor, Peter Jaffe, produces a sound and a show absolutely exciting and thrilling.  The bad news is you missed this concert.  “High Spirits” was just that, a prancing, galloping, flying symphony, which took the audience along for the glorious ride. 

If you’ve never seen Peter Jaffe, the conductor, and I hadn’t until yesterday, you may be in for a bit of a surprise.  He’s gigantic, especially when he steps up onto the conductor’s box and towers over the string sections, stretching his long arms to snap the cymbals into the air, or sweep the horns to regal importance, or calm the violas with the palms of his hands erect at arms’ length.  Imposing in black tails, Conductor Jaffe is also jocular, comical, and at ease with the audience, as well as the musicians.  He’s comfortable.   The whole theatre of people, musicians and audience alike, feels his relaxed authority and total command of the music.   

Unlike most concerts where the conductor marches to the podium, takes a sustained bow, taps his baton once or twice and the musicians begin playing, Conductor Jaffe, embraces the audience with a broad, knowing smile, a face that says I’m going to give you something you’re going to like, and then does so.  He starts talking about the music you are about to hear.  He explains how Prokofiev happened to write “The Lieutenant Kije´Suite, op. 60.”  He explains that the music you are about to hear was first written as a film score, and proceeds to summarize the Russian film’s plot.  Once the audience knows what it is about to hear, he invites them to jump into the “troika” for the sleigh ride, then turns to the orchestra and sets the horses loose.  It was a whimsical, warm, folksy ride.  Conductor Jaffe at times looked as though he were riding a horse so caught up was he in the rhythm of Prokofiev’s score. 

The second piece in the program, the famous Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in E minor, op. 64, was brought to the audience by Conductor Jaffe’s sensitive baton, lifting and moving the Auburn Symphony as one would blow a feather through the air, behind the solo violin of Christina Mok.  As tall and towering in black tails as Conductor Jaffe is, Christina Mok, stood diminutively in a turquoise floor-length gown, raised her violin to her chin, and for the next thirty minutes, played this concerto with amazing agility.  Her fingers were moving as though typing a novel on a computer at high speed, her bow sawing up and down, pulling each lovely note from her instrument in precise timing.  If you closed your eyes and listened, you could see ice skaters spinning to a blur, ballerinas leaping to point then falling into a lover’s arms.  The soaring, delicate music, climbed higher and higher.   Ms. Mok, brought Mendelssohn’s beautiful music to us out of the violin like an equal and lover.  The Auburn Symphony surrounded her, Conductor Jaffe molded the music and filled the auditorium, always with Ms. Mok’s violin’s voice soaring, up and out and over the beautiful music.  When Ms. Mok pulled her last pitches from her violin, a silence floated for a brief moment.  Then the audience exploded in standing ovations.  This was a Sunday afternoon audience on its feet and the rafters filled with applause.  The audience brought her back on stage with continued applause, and deep red roses were thrust up into her arms.   Conductor Jaffe stood next to her proudly and swept the orchestra to its feet for its share of the applause which kept throbbing from the house. 

Intermission was welcomed.  The house spilled out into the bright afternoon sunshine in the Placer High School courtyard and garden.  All around one heard “stupendous,” “incredible,” “breath-taking.”  People were amazed by Ms. Mok’s and the Auburn Symphony’s performance under the baton of Maestro Jaffe.   

When Maestro Jaffe lumbered out onto the stage after intermission, the audience roared its delight.  They didn’t know what was in store for them next but because of what had preceded, they knew it would be stupendous.  The title of the last piece, the “Symphonic Metamorphosis after Themes by Carl Maria von Weber,” could intimidate or befuddle the most-informed of concert goers, but not if conducted by Maestro Jaffe.   With a broad smile, and a keyboard moved to center stage, he explained that the title of the piece came about because Hindemith was hired by choreographer Massine to write music based on music already written by Carol Maria von Weber.  Maestro Jaffe then proceeded to play themes from the Carl Maria von Weber score on the portable keyboard so the audience could hear how Hindemith took the themes and developed them in Hindemith’s own style, hence the “metamorphosis” or “change.”  The audience was delighted by the demonstration by keyboardist Jaffe, music instructor.  After a brief pause, allowing the keyboard to be removed from the stage, the audience sat back and waited for Hindemith’s “Symphonic Metamorphosis after Themes of Carl Maria von Weber.” 

The “…Metamorphosis…” by sections roared, went wild, was punching, crazy, and jazzy.  Conductor Jaffe looked to be having such a good time, imperiously pointing at a horn player, whipping the sounds up from the timpanist, urging  and softening the cellos and strings.  Maestro Jaffe’s long arms and large hands and jutting profile were left, then right, then spread eagle.  His arms stretched wide embraced the musicians with commanding urgency.  The Auburn Symphony did not hold back.  They give their conductor and the audience their unforgettable music.  What a concert!  I can’t wait for the next one March 21, 2015, when Conductor Jaffe interprets Richard Wagner’s Prelude to Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg.