This feeling occurs whenever the director of the Lake Placid Sinfonietta introduces a much beloved piece of music with a story about how it was despised by the critics at its premiere many generations ago. The story always leads to the punch line about how — unlike the composer — “nobody ever remembers the critics,” or how “no critic ever had a statue made of him.”

Without dismissing the notion that maybe this writer is suffering from a mild case of paranoia and should just get over himself, Sinfonietta Music Director Stuart Malina related the story in reference to Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 3, the final piece at the Sunday, Aug. 8 concert, in which the composer changes the key signature in the finale from the dark and gloomy sounding key of A minor to the bright and happy sounding key of A major.

On the whole, this is a very joyous piece reminiscent of Beethoven’s 8th. It is well known in the world of dance thanks to George Balanchine’s having choreographed a ballet to all but the first movement of it, and it serves extremely well as a closing piece to a concert.

So, why not switch keys near the end to the happier sounding A major?

If faced with having to render a decision in The Case of Felix Mendelssohn vs. The Gaggle of 19th Century Critics That Opposes Mendelssohn’s Key Change In The Finale To His 3rd Symphony, this writer would rule in favor of the composer without pause. What’s so bad about going home from a concert feeling good anyway? (Especially in today’s world!)

It was an excellent choice for a concert closer. It was performed with passion and bravado, and it got an instantaneous “Ving Rhames” standing ovation.

The concert opened with another excellent choice in Gustav Holst’s St. Paul’s Suite in C Major, Op. 29, No. 2, a fairly short four-movement work that he wrote in honor of St. Paul’s Girls’ School in Hammersmith, West London, where he served as Music Director from 1905-34, his longest held teaching position.

The music is drawn from English folk songs and dances, most of which is very lively, fun, and something his students would have enjoyed playing.

The fourth movement opens with the 16th century folk melody “Dargason” soon to be joined by “Greensleeves” as the two well-known English melodies play simultaneously and, in effect, dance nicely with each other.

Now for that second piece.

“Nigun” is the second movement from a three-movement work by Ernest Bloch (1880-1959) titled “Baal Shem” (Three Pictures of Chassidic Life). This second movement is the most well-known and is sometimes played by itself as it was in this performance.

This movement examines the Hassidic innovation of using the sacred song not so much as a partner to help beautify the recitation of, say, a required prayer, but more so as a means of achieving a spiritual elevation high enough to become one with God.

Once again, Concertmaster Daniel Szasz served as the featured soloist for this roughly six to seven minute work that sounded very reminiscent of the previous time his soloing talents were featured two weeks prior when he played “Three Pieces from Schindler’s List” by John Williams. His performance this time seemed flawless just as it had two weeks before as the audience responded with notable enthusiasm. A few even stood up.

Audiences can be quick, however, to pigeonhole performing artists into one- dimensional perceptions. Let’s hope Mr. Szasz doesn’t suffer a similar fate of being unfairly regarded as a one-trick pony whose “specialty” is mournful sounding Jewish music. Although he can perform this style well enough to melt the heart of David Duke, let’s not forget that he is capable of much much more.

In regards to what it takes to be a capable music critic, Virgil Thomson, the noted composer and, according to the Wall Street Journal, “…the most important American music critic of the 20th century,” seemed to sum it up well enough by explaining, “You have to know everything about music, and how to write.”

According to Captain Obvious, this writer “is still working on that first part while always trying to at least maintain the second.”