Symphony celebrates holy season
by Thomas K. Wolber
Contributing Columnist, Delaware Gazette, December 2019
In many religions, winter is a holy season. The word “holy” is an ancient word of Germanic
origin, derived from “to heal.” Holy season is healing season. The weary and wary world must be
restored in order to be whole and hale again. December is also the month of the winter solstice. The
days are short and dark, but fire and light help improve the mood. In December we tend to use a lot of
candles as part of the healing process. We also eat a lot of comfort food to help us cope with the
dreariness of winter.
The December 15 holiday concert of the Central Ohio Symphony was such a beacon of light and
banquet of comfort food. Under the baton of Maestro Jaime Morales-Matos, the orchestra performed
twelve season-appropriate pieces, all of which were appealing and on the light side. Some of them were
tried-and-true staples of the repertoire, such as the “Radetzky March” by Johann Strauβ Sr. and several
pieces by prolific composer and arranger Leroy Anderson (“A Christmas Festival,” “Sleigh Ride,” and
others). However, a number of new and unfamiliar compositions could also be heard. Leroy Anderson’s
humorous “Sandpaper Ballet” was a memorable experience – not necessarily because of the music but
because the orchestra’s three percussionists dressed up as laborers in orange vests and safety goggles
and literally sandpapered away in sync with the orchestra. There was also some improvised talking,
joking, and dancing. This was the first year the orchestra was able to procure the music from the
company that holds the rights, and the audience had a blast. Maybe we will hear Leroy Anderson’s
popular orchestral tune “The Typewriter” someday. “Die Fledermaus Overture” by Johann Strauβ Jr. was
another special treat. This reviewer keeps being intrigued by the tension within the waltzes of the
composer. They can be joyous and jubilant, but there is always also a melancholy, bittersweet edge in
them – a tradition continued by Ravel’s “La Valse” and Sibelius’ “Valse triste.”
Another big hit was Mark Alan Wade who played the hammered dulcimer in four pieces on the
program, one of them as a soloist. Wade, a 1999 OWU graduate, is a professional musician, trumpeter,
and teacher, but he is also a national dulcimer champion with seven albums to his credit. He plays the
hammered dulcimer with both hands, sitting in front of it. If curious about the technical details, you can
see and hear some of his tunes on YouTube. Not much music is written for the dulcimer, so Wade often
transcribes and orchestrates existing tunes and compositions to fit his needs. In this case, he used pieces
by Louis-Claude Daquin and Georg Friedrich Händel as well as traditional tunes. The Bohemian melody
“Good King Wenny,” arranged by Alex De Pue and Wade, was a world premiere. Good King Wenceslas is
a Catholic saint who showed mercy to the poor. The song was popularized by Bing Crosby. In this
orchestral version, however, no words are spoken. “Streams of Mercy” describes the Irish countryside
and is evocative of Celtic traditions. The haunting music is slow, emotional, and not intended to show off.
His performance of “Silent Night” for dulcimer solo was likewise a moving experience. Sometimes
simplicity makes the deepest impression. In other pieces, however, Wade proudly displayed his dexterity
and wizardry on the dulcimer. To learn more about the artist, visit his website, www.markalanwade.com.
Another highlight of the evening was Clement C. Moore’s poem “Twas the Night before
Christmas” in the arrangement by Douglas Meyer, who interspersed the text with several traditional
Christmas tunes. Popular audiobook narrator and local actor J. T. McDaniel was the narrator of the tale.
He is also the author of a number of published plays and novels, which may be worth reading. (To learn
more about him, visit his website www.jtmcdaniel.com.) Local music student Bella Bosco, a 2019 Hayes
High School graduate, was the fearless leader of the sing-along. The mezzo soprano has a clear and
strong voice and kept the audience on the right path. Currently a freshman at Western Connecticut State
University, she is bound to have a bright future.
Many people contribute to the continued success of the Central Ohio Symphony, now in its 41st
season. They are too numerous to be named here, but they are listed in the concert program. My thanks
go to the musicians, the orchestra staff, the contributors to the Symphony, and the audience. Major
donors include the Ohio Arts Council, the Delaware County Foundation, and the City of Delaware.
Please mark your calendars for the remaining two concerts of the 41st season of the Symphony.
The March 1 concert features William Grant Still’s “Festive Overture,” Mozart’s “Sinfonia Concertante,”
Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Capriccio Espagnol,” and Respighi’s “Roman Festivals.” The April 25 concert highlights
George Walker’s “Sinfonia for Orchestra” No. 1, Arturo Márquez’ “Trumpet Concerto,” and Peter Boyer’s
“Ellis Island,” with video and actors. In the meantime, enjoy the holidays. Happy Christmas, Hanukkah,
and Kwanzaa!
Thomas K. Wolber, Ph.D., teaches foreign languages and literatures at Ohio Wesleyan University. He has
an undergraduate degree in music from a German university, plays the piano, and is passionate about
classical music. His email address is tkwolber@owu.edu.
by Thomas K. Wolber
Contributing Columnist, Delaware Gazette, December 2019
In many religions, winter is a holy season. The word “holy” is an ancient word of Germanic
origin, derived from “to heal.” Holy season is healing season. The weary and wary world must be
restored in order to be whole and hale again. December is also the month of the winter solstice. The
days are short and dark, but fire and light help improve the mood. In December we tend to use a lot of
candles as part of the healing process. We also eat a lot of comfort food to help us cope with the
dreariness of winter.
The December 15 holiday concert of the Central Ohio Symphony was such a beacon of light and
banquet of comfort food. Under the baton of Maestro Jaime Morales-Matos, the orchestra performed
twelve season-appropriate pieces, all of which were appealing and on the light side. Some of them were
tried-and-true staples of the repertoire, such as the “Radetzky March” by Johann Strauβ Sr. and several
pieces by prolific composer and arranger Leroy Anderson (“A Christmas Festival,” “Sleigh Ride,” and
others). However, a number of new and unfamiliar compositions could also be heard. Leroy Anderson’s
humorous “Sandpaper Ballet” was a memorable experience – not necessarily because of the music but
because the orchestra’s three percussionists dressed up as laborers in orange vests and safety goggles
and literally sandpapered away in sync with the orchestra. There was also some improvised talking,
joking, and dancing. This was the first year the orchestra was able to procure the music from the
company that holds the rights, and the audience had a blast. Maybe we will hear Leroy Anderson’s
popular orchestral tune “The Typewriter” someday. “Die Fledermaus Overture” by Johann Strauβ Jr. was
another special treat. This reviewer keeps being intrigued by the tension within the waltzes of the
composer. They can be joyous and jubilant, but there is always also a melancholy, bittersweet edge in
them – a tradition continued by Ravel’s “La Valse” and Sibelius’ “Valse triste.”
Another big hit was Mark Alan Wade who played the hammered dulcimer in four pieces on the
program, one of them as a soloist. Wade, a 1999 OWU graduate, is a professional musician, trumpeter,
and teacher, but he is also a national dulcimer champion with seven albums to his credit. He plays the
hammered dulcimer with both hands, sitting in front of it. If curious about the technical details, you can
see and hear some of his tunes on YouTube. Not much music is written for the dulcimer, so Wade often
transcribes and orchestrates existing tunes and compositions to fit his needs. In this case, he used pieces
by Louis-Claude Daquin and Georg Friedrich Händel as well as traditional tunes. The Bohemian melody
“Good King Wenny,” arranged by Alex De Pue and Wade, was a world premiere. Good King Wenceslas is
a Catholic saint who showed mercy to the poor. The song was popularized by Bing Crosby. In this
orchestral version, however, no words are spoken. “Streams of Mercy” describes the Irish countryside
and is evocative of Celtic traditions. The haunting music is slow, emotional, and not intended to show off.
His performance of “Silent Night” for dulcimer solo was likewise a moving experience. Sometimes
simplicity makes the deepest impression. In other pieces, however, Wade proudly displayed his dexterity
and wizardry on the dulcimer. To learn more about the artist, visit his website, www.markalanwade.com.
Another highlight of the evening was Clement C. Moore’s poem “Twas the Night before
Christmas” in the arrangement by Douglas Meyer, who interspersed the text with several traditional
Christmas tunes. Popular audiobook narrator and local actor J. T. McDaniel was the narrator of the tale.
He is also the author of a number of published plays and novels, which may be worth reading. (To learn
more about him, visit his website www.jtmcdaniel.com.) Local music student Bella Bosco, a 2019 Hayes
High School graduate, was the fearless leader of the sing-along. The mezzo soprano has a clear and
strong voice and kept the audience on the right path. Currently a freshman at Western Connecticut State
University, she is bound to have a bright future.
Many people contribute to the continued success of the Central Ohio Symphony, now in its 41st
season. They are too numerous to be named here, but they are listed in the concert program. My thanks
go to the musicians, the orchestra staff, the contributors to the Symphony, and the audience. Major
donors include the Ohio Arts Council, the Delaware County Foundation, and the City of Delaware.
Please mark your calendars for the remaining two concerts of the 41st season of the Symphony.
The March 1 concert features William Grant Still’s “Festive Overture,” Mozart’s “Sinfonia Concertante,”
Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Capriccio Espagnol,” and Respighi’s “Roman Festivals.” The April 25 concert highlights
George Walker’s “Sinfonia for Orchestra” No. 1, Arturo Márquez’ “Trumpet Concerto,” and Peter Boyer’s
“Ellis Island,” with video and actors. In the meantime, enjoy the holidays. Happy Christmas, Hanukkah,
and Kwanzaa!
Thomas K. Wolber, Ph.D., teaches foreign languages and literatures at Ohio Wesleyan University. He has
an undergraduate degree in music from a German university, plays the piano, and is passionate about
classical music. His email address is tkwolber@owu.edu.