Robertson, Marsalis, CSO meet complex challenges

John, while I was amazed by the quality of the program I can't agree on the quality of the performances. Marsailles' sound was too hidden when he was in the orchestra for the Debussy, and he seemed very awkward with the Copland, and couple times I thought it was falling apart. Multiple flubs by the sax when it was in the high and low ranges, and the ending was mostly destroyed--it just seemed the instrument wasn't willing to cooperate. The Adams is an all time favorite, but here it was underrehearsed and choppy; I love that they played it but it could have used more work. Hooray for the program, however, can't we do this more often?(new and challenging programs).

I found Robertson and the CSO a great match--he has a fantastic, vibrant conducting technique, and the orchestra gives him just what he wants. So why isn't he Music Director?
The Adams piece was indeed thrilling to hear. The San Francisco Symphony plays Adams all the time--they recently offered his concert opera "Flowering Tree." Adams is hardly the only "kid" on the compositional block, but Chicagoans should be more up to speed on this guy. It took 2 decades to program "Harmonielehre"!

Another perfect performance by the CSO?