Self-promotion, absolutely shameless...

   A Powerful "Rescue in Denmark"

   By Joan Reinthaler
   Special to The Washington Post
   Friday, June 16, 2000; Page C03

   One of the great acts of courage and humanity that came out of the
   Second World War was the protection and rescue by the Danish people
   of their Jewish population.  Washington's Adas Israel Congregation
   has maintained a relationship with one of those Danish heroes who
   helped ferry Jews to Sweden, a man who has characterized this effort
   eloquently as "a matter of decency," and on Wednesday, Preben Munch
   Nielsen was on hand at the synagogue for the premiere of "Rescue in
   Denmark" Symphony, composed and dedicated to him by Adas Israel's
   cantor, Arnold Saltzman.

   This is a major work and, as befits something of this stature,
   it received the kind of carefully rehearsed, poised and incisive
   presentation one wishes every premiere might enjoy.  Under the
   direction of Joel Lazar, the orchestra spoke clearly and powerfully,
   sonorities were well balanced and individual lines were delivered
   with grace.  There were moments when syncopated entrances might have
   had more bite and soft passages might have been a good bit softer,
   but it was an impressive performance and a tribute both to Lazar's
   conducting skill and to his musical imagination.  The Adas Israel
   Youth Choir and Women's Choir joined the orchestra for the "Danish
   Hymn" that concludes the last movement and they, too, sounded secure
   and well focused.

   The symphony's four movements, "Seascape," "Descent Into Night," "The
   Hunter and the Hunted" and, finally, "The Rescue," sketch pictures
   of the scene and the drama of those times.  Saltzman's idiom is a
   conservative one, but freely and opulently so.  Although he borrows
   from all over the place, his music feels unselfconscious and genuine
   and he is an excellent orchestrator.  His program notes detail a
   great deal that was not evident in the music on first hearing and
   that, in fact, may reside more powerfully in his mind than in the
   music itself, but in any case, the music stands easily on its own.

   This symphony is the first component of a three-part project that
   will include a recording and a set of lessons based on the symphony
   and some supplementary readings.  Before a CD is produced, Saltzman
   may want to consider tightening the piece up a little, particularly
   the second movement, which seems very long, and the pre-choral part
   of the finale, which has periods of aimlessness.

   (c) 2000 The Washington Post Company

Joel Lazar