Written by Macia Gronewold Sly, Ellsworth American

BANGOR - Maestro Lucas Richman started off the Bangor Symphony Orchestra's Sunday concert by announcing last-minute replacements for several key players - including the concertmaster.

Maestro Richman promised that in true Maine "can-do" spirit, all was well, under the leadership of violinist Jason Posnock. A small ensemble of strings then took the stage for J.S. Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 3. The piece was played as Bach intended, by three violins, three violas and three cellos, with harpsichord (Maestro Richman on an electronic keyboard) and double bass continuo.

As has become standard practice among chamber orchestras, the violinist and violists stood for the performance, allowing the players to communicate more directly with each other. It also can make for more freedom in interpreting the music, but this was a straightforward reading - even the cadenzas on the two chords that comprise the middle movement were rather businesslike, offering a minimal bridge between the two Allegro movements.

Maestro Richman set a brisk tempo for the opening movement of Mozart's motet, Exsultate Jubilate. Soprano Katy Williams, who has a sweet voice, bravely took up the challenge, but some of the passage work was simply too fast to be sung clearly.

Generally, Williams would have been better off supported by a reduced orchestra, because she was nearly inaudible much of the time. To be fair, the piece is a challenge for all sopranos -Mozart wrote it for a castrato, who would have had much more power, especially in his lower range.

Still, where given an opportunity to shine in cadenzas and in the "Alleluia," Williams' singing lacked sparkle, and Richman's literal interpretation of the Vivace tempo undermined her graceful performance.

Mahler's 4th Symphony, which closed the program, is a complex work composed of many themes and episodes, requiring frequent transitions and great attention to detail. Maestro Richman is to be commended for leading the orchestra, with so many substitute and additional players, through the score.

In the slow third movement, the ensemble finally came together, led by sumptuous playing by the low strings. Only a few jarring problems with intonation marred an otherwise fine performance of the movement. The finale, a setting of the song "Das himmliche Leben" (Heavenly Life) is prefaced in the score with a note to the conductor: It is of the greatest importance that the singer be extremely discreetly accompanied. Unfortunately, the orchestra once again covered Williams' charming singing.