by Kevin McLaughlin
The Canton Symphony thrilled and captivated in two portrayals of the story of Scheherazade and a masterfully played piano concerto on a snowy evening at the Zimmermann Symphony Center on January 22.
The world premiere of Quinn Mason’s Portrait of Scheherazade, commissioned by the CSO, made for an appealing start. It’s always exciting to hear a piece for the first time, particularly so when it’s introduced by the composer. Speaking easily and plainly, Mason identified his purpose as depicting the person of Scheherazade (“who the lady was”) rather than refashioning the famous work by Rimsky-Korsakov.