Pops concerts of symphony orchestras with noted soloists and bands are often an uncomfortable combination, but except for the wild and woolly finale — when the orchestra stood around without much to do — the Portland Symphony Orchestra and Eileen Ivers with Immigrant Soul complemented each other very gracefully.

A good example was the piano and orchestra accompaniment to an Ivers song written for her parents, who were in the audience Saturday night at Merrill Auditorium.

Another was the duet between Ivers and concert master Charles Dimmick in “Pachelbel’s Frolics,” a furious set of variations on the well-known Canon.

Ivers, one of the world’s pre-eminent Celtic fiddlers, has selected a band, Immigrant Soul, that she can have fun with as equals, not accompanists. Her can-you-top-this set with Buddy Connolly on accordion was incredible, as was her violin imitation of Thomas McDonnell’s scat singing toward the end of the program. The band is rounded out by Greg Anderson on acoustic guitar and Leo Traversa on bass guitar.

Added attractions were some excellent step dancing by students of the Stillson School of Irish Dance, assisted for a short while by PSO conductor Robert Moody, and a serenade at intermission in the lobby by Fiddle-icious.

The program began with an orchestral selection, the Irish Rhapsody No.1, Op. 78 by Edwardian composer Sir Charles Villiers Stanford, which was fine if “Danny Boy” makes you cry, but otherwise somewhat lacking in excitement.

The orchestral suite that opened the second half of the program, Irish Medley by Bernard Herrmann, was considerably less subdued.

The closest collaboration between orchestra and soloists was in a fine selection from “Riverdance,” which was almost a concerto grosso. Bill Whelan’s music is classical in essence, capturing the spirit of Irish dance without imitation or sentimentality.

Fiddler and band then took over in a raucous rendition of “Blizzard Train,” which gave everybody a chance to shine in speed, virtuosity and imitation of railroad sounds. When that resulted in a standing ovation, Ivers seized a beat-up black fiddle for the encore of “Will the Circle Be Unbroken,” which had the audience stamping its feet.

 

Christopher Hyde’s Classical Beat column appears in the Maine Sunday Telegram. He can be reached at:

classbeat@netscape.net.

 

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