CSO concert sublime, ridiculous

Music lovers who missed Charleston Symphony Orchestra's Backstage Pass Series concert Thursday, missed something special. The audience heard a wonderful evening of music, old and new, and were inspired to think of classical music in a new and relevant way.

Former CSO Associate Conductor Stuart Malina returned to Charleston to present this extraordinary concert. The theme of "both sublime and ridiculous" combined works of Mozart, Haydn, Schnittke and exciting new composer Daniel Kellogg. The opening Mozart "Serenade" set the tone for "sublime." Yet, in the third movement of this piece, CSO Concertmaster Yuriy Bekker performed perhaps one of the most original cadenzas, both sublime and ridiculous, ever performed in the history of the CSO, but certainly one of the most entertaining.

Kellogg, who was present, introduced his composition "Mozart's Hymn." With the CSO's exquisite performance of the contemporary treatment of Mozart's beloved "Ave verum corpus," Kellogg referred to his composition as a "string fantasy," a "fingerprint," but slowing down Mozart's richness of chord progression. Other highlights of the concert were the final movement of Haydn's "Farewell Symphony" and Schnittke's dramatic "Moz-Art a la Haydn," featuring violinists Alan Molina and Adda Kridler.

This is the most exciting, erudite and affordable concert series in the city's classical music history. For tickets visit the CSO Web site. For more information on Kellogg, and his work, search for his music on www.instantencore.com.