The Eroica, number three, has always been my ninth favorite Beethoven symphonyit can be a real watch-checker of a piece in the hands of a conductor whos not quite sure how to bring some goal-directed drive to its garrulous sprawl. But Ive found smaller, leaner orchestras to be pretty good at making the piece spring to life; hearing all the inner details better holds the attention. Christophe Chagnard leads it with the 35-member, Tacoma-based Northwest Sinfonietta tonight. The orchestra is celebrating its 20th anniversary with two soloists about that age: violinist Marié Rossano and cellist Julian Schwarz, on hand to play Brahms Double Concerto. My favorite movements the finale, in which a bumptious polka and bittersweet strains seem to compete for your favor, but end up reconciling and somehow melding. GAVIN BORCHERT
Fri., Oct. 1, 7:30 p.m., 2010
