TPO Presents 200 Years of Richard Wagner

Music Auditorium College of Music. Mahidol Salaya. Nakhom Pathom, Thailand. May 11, 2013. I don't much like the sound of the alto saxophone as a solo instrument, but as played enthusiastically by 26-year old Thai saxophonist Supat Hanpatanachai, his youth and exuberance made up for any deficiencies one would have found in Pierre Max Dubois (1930-1995) Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra. I've never heard of Dubois, but, according to the program notes, this French composer studied with Darius Mihaud and I could hear some suggestions of Mihaud in parts of this light and very listenable concerto, which was ably played by Supat, who is now continuing his musical studies in Montreal.  (Photo above:  Thai alto saxohphonist Supat Hanpatanachi signs autographs following his performance).

The remainder of the program was devoted to four short works of Wagner, all well-know and all well-played. Whatever the orchestra lacks in sheer numbers of players, it more than made up for by the energy expended by the talented musicians under the direction of Claude Villaret, whose accurate, but restrained conducting, was responded to beautifully by this fine orchestra.