University of Virginia Library

Sensitive Interpretation

The second selection, "The
Shepherd Boy" from Edvard
Grieg's Lyric Suite, was more suited
to Mr. Grisler's "heart on the
sleeve" approach to music, and he
led the orchestra's strings in a
sensitive interpretation of it.

The second half of the concert
was the high point of the
afternoon. Mr. Lazar conducted the
full orchestra in a taut, incisive, and
well paced reading of Antonin
Dvorak's Symphony No. 8 in G
Major, op. 88. The work, while
highly nationalistic in character
because of the extensive use of
Czech folk themes, is squarely
within the tradition of Beethoven
and Brahms, and Mr. Lazar's
no-nonsense approach to the score
fitted the spirit of the music
perfectly. Particularly impressive
were the brass and woodwind
instrumentalist, whose task in the
Dvorak 8th is a far from simple
one.