Season 39 concert Reviews
Season Debut Concert, October 14, 2017
"A Romantic Rendezvous with the Symphony" by Thomas K. Wolber
The eagerly anticipated 39th season of the Central Ohio Symphony started on October 14 with works by Zoltán Kodály, Sergei Rachmaninoff, and Johannes Brahms.
After a rousing rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” the Symphony performed Kodály’s “Dances of Galanta,” a colorful and dynamic orchestral suite written in the Austrian-Hungarian verbunkos tradition. Researcher, teacher, and composer Kodály collected and edited Hungarian folk songs and folk dances, partially in collaboration with his compatriot Belá Bartók. He included Gypsy, Jewish, and Slavic elements in this composition. The joyful and gregarious work is not long, but it poses challenges. It is rhythmically taxing, with lots of syncopation. Its chromaticism is outside the prevailing diatonic scale. In addition, there are constant turns, twists, and sudden stops. The wind section is as important as the string section here, and there are multiple solo parts for the flute, clarinet, and horn. It took effort to master all the intricate details. However, the orchestra, under its conductor Jaime Morales-Matos, rose to the occasion and delivered a convincing performance that was snappy and sharp, clean and crisp.
Russian composer Rachmaninoff wrote four piano concertos, the second one being his most famous and most often performed. The soloist was Frank Huang, an American-born performer who teaches at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and has given concerts around the nation and the world. His mature technique is nothing less than brilliant. As an educator with a Ph.D., he values precision and accuracy, not unlike an engineer. However, as an artist he knows that passion is equally important. He played the lyrical, unaccompanied portions with great sensitivity, using lots of legato. In Huang, mechanical perfection, musical artistry, and emotional intelligence are blended, resulting in performances that are accomplished and satisfying. Given his ability for empathy and eagerness for collaboration, it comes as no surprise to learn that the pianist is also an avid chamber musician. It is equally gratifying to learn that he is a champion of less frequently performed composers such as Nikolai Medtner as well. The audience was thrilled by this talented young performer and honored him with a standing ovation. Huang responded with an unexpected encore – the seldom-heard nocturne in B-flat major (op. 16 no. 4), an intimate work by Polish composer and statesman Ignacy Paderewski.
German composer Brahms completed four symphonies. His number 2, in D major, is not a loud and stormy work. The concert program referred to it as Brahms’ “bucolic symphony” in the tradition of Beethoven’s sixth symphony. This view is not without merit. However, this reviewer sees it somewhat differently. The work does not depict happy bucolic or rustic contentment, at least not until the more joyous fourth movement. Instead, it is filled with passionate longing and insistent urgency that seems to demand resolution and relief. Perhaps Brahms’ complicated feelings for married Clara Schumann, 14 years his elder, had something to do with the symphony’s endless yearning, although the work was not completed until twenty years after Robert Schumann’s death. Yet for all the libidinal tensions contained in the four movements, they remain rigidly controlled and constrained as were Brahms’ own sentiments. Two of the movements have the instruction “non troppo” – not too much! Everything in moderation! In the end, convention and tradition won over the urges of the heart and the flesh. In this respect, Brahms was like sly Odysseus (Ulysses) – he did not want to miss the enchanting song of the Sirens, but had given instructions to be bound to his ship’s mast so that he wouldn’t give in to deadly temptation.
The motto of the Central Ohio Symphony is, ”Engaging the community through music.” The Symphony has been reaching out to the larger Delaware community for 39 seasons not only through its regular concerts, but also through numerous summer programs. In turn, the Symphony enjoys the wide and unwavering support of both patrons (through ticket sales) and governmental agencies and non-profit entities (through grants). The partnership has done much to enhance the quality of life in the City of Delaware, Delaware County, and beyond.
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.
"A Romantic Rendezvous with the Symphony" by Thomas K. Wolber
The eagerly anticipated 39th season of the Central Ohio Symphony started on October 14 with works by Zoltán Kodály, Sergei Rachmaninoff, and Johannes Brahms.
After a rousing rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” the Symphony performed Kodály’s “Dances of Galanta,” a colorful and dynamic orchestral suite written in the Austrian-Hungarian verbunkos tradition. Researcher, teacher, and composer Kodály collected and edited Hungarian folk songs and folk dances, partially in collaboration with his compatriot Belá Bartók. He included Gypsy, Jewish, and Slavic elements in this composition. The joyful and gregarious work is not long, but it poses challenges. It is rhythmically taxing, with lots of syncopation. Its chromaticism is outside the prevailing diatonic scale. In addition, there are constant turns, twists, and sudden stops. The wind section is as important as the string section here, and there are multiple solo parts for the flute, clarinet, and horn. It took effort to master all the intricate details. However, the orchestra, under its conductor Jaime Morales-Matos, rose to the occasion and delivered a convincing performance that was snappy and sharp, clean and crisp.
Russian composer Rachmaninoff wrote four piano concertos, the second one being his most famous and most often performed. The soloist was Frank Huang, an American-born performer who teaches at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and has given concerts around the nation and the world. His mature technique is nothing less than brilliant. As an educator with a Ph.D., he values precision and accuracy, not unlike an engineer. However, as an artist he knows that passion is equally important. He played the lyrical, unaccompanied portions with great sensitivity, using lots of legato. In Huang, mechanical perfection, musical artistry, and emotional intelligence are blended, resulting in performances that are accomplished and satisfying. Given his ability for empathy and eagerness for collaboration, it comes as no surprise to learn that the pianist is also an avid chamber musician. It is equally gratifying to learn that he is a champion of less frequently performed composers such as Nikolai Medtner as well. The audience was thrilled by this talented young performer and honored him with a standing ovation. Huang responded with an unexpected encore – the seldom-heard nocturne in B-flat major (op. 16 no. 4), an intimate work by Polish composer and statesman Ignacy Paderewski.
German composer Brahms completed four symphonies. His number 2, in D major, is not a loud and stormy work. The concert program referred to it as Brahms’ “bucolic symphony” in the tradition of Beethoven’s sixth symphony. This view is not without merit. However, this reviewer sees it somewhat differently. The work does not depict happy bucolic or rustic contentment, at least not until the more joyous fourth movement. Instead, it is filled with passionate longing and insistent urgency that seems to demand resolution and relief. Perhaps Brahms’ complicated feelings for married Clara Schumann, 14 years his elder, had something to do with the symphony’s endless yearning, although the work was not completed until twenty years after Robert Schumann’s death. Yet for all the libidinal tensions contained in the four movements, they remain rigidly controlled and constrained as were Brahms’ own sentiments. Two of the movements have the instruction “non troppo” – not too much! Everything in moderation! In the end, convention and tradition won over the urges of the heart and the flesh. In this respect, Brahms was like sly Odysseus (Ulysses) – he did not want to miss the enchanting song of the Sirens, but had given instructions to be bound to his ship’s mast so that he wouldn’t give in to deadly temptation.
The motto of the Central Ohio Symphony is, ”Engaging the community through music.” The Symphony has been reaching out to the larger Delaware community for 39 seasons not only through its regular concerts, but also through numerous summer programs. In turn, the Symphony enjoys the wide and unwavering support of both patrons (through ticket sales) and governmental agencies and non-profit entities (through grants). The partnership has done much to enhance the quality of life in the City of Delaware, Delaware County, and beyond.
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.
Holiday Concerts, December 10, 2017
Yuletide with the Symphony
As part of its 39th season, the Central Ohio Symphony performed two identical holiday concerts on Sunday, December 10, 2017. The program consisted mainly of tried-and-true Christmas chestnuts by Peter I. Tchaikovsky (“Sleeping Beauty Waltz,” op. 66”), Johann Strauß Sr. (“Radetzky March,” op. 228), Ralph Vaughan Williams (“Fantasia on Greensleeves”), and a medley of orchestral Christmas carol arrangements by Bruce Chase (“Around the World at Christmas Time” and “Christmas Memories”) and David Pugh (“A Charlie Brown Christmas”). For those who want to hear some of the tunes again or for the first time, they are all available on YouTube, performed by various orchestras.
The Lone Raven band was back by popular demand and performed multiple pieces, several of which were supported by the full orchestra. They specialize in Celtic, Gypsy, and other folk music from around the world. Kara Marley Sterling played the fiddle and served as the group’s main vocalist while Elizabeth Blickenstaff excelled on the twin fiddle. Neil Jacobs produced other-worldly sounds on his 12-string guitar that few people thought possible. Craig Markley’s played multiple instruments, including various six-hole Irish tin whistles (also called penny whistles). These flutes use the diatonic system, which gives the tunes a certain haunting quality. The mesmerizing sorcery of Lone Raven cast a magical spell over the listeners and transported them to another time and space. The bewitching musicianship of each member of the band is spectacular and exhilarating. To learn more about them, visit their website, www.loneraven.com.
Another highlight of the concert was the world premiere of Noah Goulet’s composition, “Welcome Sun.” Goulet is a junior at Delaware’s Hayes High School who has twice been a finalist in the National Young Composers Challenge. This is the first time that one of his pieces was performed by a full, professional orchestra. The young composer has stated in interviews that “Welcome Sun” was inspired by the winter solstice on December 21. Daylight is limited to nine hours, and shadows prevail. The orchestration is dark, thin, and low to reflect the taupe and cold days of winter. However, after the hibernal solstice the days are gradually getting longer again and spring appears on the horizon. The darkness will eventually pass and the sun will rejuvenate the natural world once again by bringing light, warmth, and life. The mood and instrumentation become fuller and brighter until the composition ends in an optimistic major key. The flute plays a prominent role. Rising brightly above all other instruments, it may be said to symbolize the sun and a more hopeful future. The short piece is perfectly tonal and accessible. There is no rousing ending, however. After all, fulfillment is still far off. However, many in the audience gave the promising young composer a standing ovation.
It is certainly not a coincidence that Christian tradition says the Messiah is born at or near the December solstice and that the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah occurs at about the same time. Many religions celebrate light and the enlightenment it represents. Christian and non-Christian groups share the mutual goal of healing and restoration, of achieving harmony and unity. Both believe that Yuletide is a time to be jolly and joyful, despite (or because of) the darkness and evil surrounding us. At the Symphony’s holiday concert, the ancient Celtic and Christian traditions merged to form a new synthesis, full of dynamic synergy that has the power to mend, to sustain, and to transform. In the middle of winter, there is comfort in these primal rituals and rites. The memories last a lifetime.
Delaware is lucky to have a symphony that enjoys the support of the entire community. It receives financial support from the Ohio Arts Council, the City of Delaware, the Ohio Wesleyan University, and – of course – from its patrons, donors, and trustees. Jaime Morales-Matos, a professional trombonist and conductor, continues to inspire as artistic director. But it is the marvelous musicians themselves to whom we owe the greatest debt of gratitude.
Two additional concerts will conclude the 39th season. The main work on the program for March 11 is Gustav Mahler’s Symphony no. 4. The April 28 concert will see the Ohio film premiere of “Moonrise” with astronomer and guest artist Dr. José Francisco Salgado, played to the music of Maurice Ravel’s “Daphnis and Chloé.”
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.
Yuletide with the Symphony
As part of its 39th season, the Central Ohio Symphony performed two identical holiday concerts on Sunday, December 10, 2017. The program consisted mainly of tried-and-true Christmas chestnuts by Peter I. Tchaikovsky (“Sleeping Beauty Waltz,” op. 66”), Johann Strauß Sr. (“Radetzky March,” op. 228), Ralph Vaughan Williams (“Fantasia on Greensleeves”), and a medley of orchestral Christmas carol arrangements by Bruce Chase (“Around the World at Christmas Time” and “Christmas Memories”) and David Pugh (“A Charlie Brown Christmas”). For those who want to hear some of the tunes again or for the first time, they are all available on YouTube, performed by various orchestras.
The Lone Raven band was back by popular demand and performed multiple pieces, several of which were supported by the full orchestra. They specialize in Celtic, Gypsy, and other folk music from around the world. Kara Marley Sterling played the fiddle and served as the group’s main vocalist while Elizabeth Blickenstaff excelled on the twin fiddle. Neil Jacobs produced other-worldly sounds on his 12-string guitar that few people thought possible. Craig Markley’s played multiple instruments, including various six-hole Irish tin whistles (also called penny whistles). These flutes use the diatonic system, which gives the tunes a certain haunting quality. The mesmerizing sorcery of Lone Raven cast a magical spell over the listeners and transported them to another time and space. The bewitching musicianship of each member of the band is spectacular and exhilarating. To learn more about them, visit their website, www.loneraven.com.
Another highlight of the concert was the world premiere of Noah Goulet’s composition, “Welcome Sun.” Goulet is a junior at Delaware’s Hayes High School who has twice been a finalist in the National Young Composers Challenge. This is the first time that one of his pieces was performed by a full, professional orchestra. The young composer has stated in interviews that “Welcome Sun” was inspired by the winter solstice on December 21. Daylight is limited to nine hours, and shadows prevail. The orchestration is dark, thin, and low to reflect the taupe and cold days of winter. However, after the hibernal solstice the days are gradually getting longer again and spring appears on the horizon. The darkness will eventually pass and the sun will rejuvenate the natural world once again by bringing light, warmth, and life. The mood and instrumentation become fuller and brighter until the composition ends in an optimistic major key. The flute plays a prominent role. Rising brightly above all other instruments, it may be said to symbolize the sun and a more hopeful future. The short piece is perfectly tonal and accessible. There is no rousing ending, however. After all, fulfillment is still far off. However, many in the audience gave the promising young composer a standing ovation.
It is certainly not a coincidence that Christian tradition says the Messiah is born at or near the December solstice and that the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah occurs at about the same time. Many religions celebrate light and the enlightenment it represents. Christian and non-Christian groups share the mutual goal of healing and restoration, of achieving harmony and unity. Both believe that Yuletide is a time to be jolly and joyful, despite (or because of) the darkness and evil surrounding us. At the Symphony’s holiday concert, the ancient Celtic and Christian traditions merged to form a new synthesis, full of dynamic synergy that has the power to mend, to sustain, and to transform. In the middle of winter, there is comfort in these primal rituals and rites. The memories last a lifetime.
Delaware is lucky to have a symphony that enjoys the support of the entire community. It receives financial support from the Ohio Arts Council, the City of Delaware, the Ohio Wesleyan University, and – of course – from its patrons, donors, and trustees. Jaime Morales-Matos, a professional trombonist and conductor, continues to inspire as artistic director. But it is the marvelous musicians themselves to whom we owe the greatest debt of gratitude.
Two additional concerts will conclude the 39th season. The main work on the program for March 11 is Gustav Mahler’s Symphony no. 4. The April 28 concert will see the Ohio film premiere of “Moonrise” with astronomer and guest artist Dr. José Francisco Salgado, played to the music of Maurice Ravel’s “Daphnis and Chloé.”
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.
March 11, 2018 Concert Review
"Symphony Explores Love and Death" By Thomas K. Wolber
After a rousing rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” the March concert of the Central Ohio Symphony began with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s overture to “Così fan tutte.” The opera buffa (comic opera) involves temptation, seduction, and love. Everybody does “it,” the title suggests. It is love that makes the world go round. Under Maestro Jaime Morales-Matos, the orchestra was able to reflect these turbulent urges well. The overture set the stage for the three arias that followed: “Juliette’s Waltz” from Charles Gounod’s “Romeo and Juliette”; “Meine Lippen, sie küssen so heiß” from Franz Lehár’s “Giuditta”; and “Sempre libera” from Giuseppe Verdi’s “La traviata.” Soprano Laura Portune, the soloist, has called the arias, which she sang in three different languages, “a tour de force.” They are indeed technically challenging, with lots of high notes, but Portune faced them with practiced mastery and supreme confidence. Her strong and pristine voice soared above the orchestra and filled every corner of the grand concert hall. In the Verdi aria, Portune was briefly joined by tenor Benjamin Bunsold, a 1995 OWU music graduate who sang the part of Alfredo. His full and expressive voice matched Portune’s coloratura soprano beautifully.
What the arias have in common is the passionate desire of their young protagonists to be free, to live, and to love as they please while they are still young and impulsive. They sense that their youthful vitality will not last forever and that eventually a day of reckoning will come. Even the most beautiful flower is fated to wither and wilt some day. There is a bittersweet undertone to all three pieces. Love and death are intertwined in many operas, including the ones from which the arias are excerpted. Portune says Lehár’s “Meine Lippen” is her favorite. It is indeed a great tune full of fiery oriental rhythms and Spanish flamenco music. Giuditta freely admits that the hot blood of gypsies runs through her veins and that she was born to dance and make love. In some performances, “Giuditta” throws off her shoes and other trappings of civilization and starts to wildly dance and flirt without much inhibition. Portune did not resort to such drastic measures, but given the subject matter a few symbolic twirls would have been perfectly appropriate. She did take a few tentative dancing steps, however.
Gustav Mahler’s somber “Symphony No. 4” is equally ambivalent, with “Freund Hein” (“Friend Henry”) – a representation of death – never far away. Mahler was intimately familiar with death. The second movement contains a haunting “danse macabre.” The fourth movement is essentially one long symphonic song, “Das himmlische Leben” (“The Heavenly Life”), not coincidentally written in a happy major key. Once again sung radiantly by soprano Laura Portune, it describes the simple and joyous life of an innocent child who is now in heaven where it sings and dances all day long and gets to eat and drink whatever it wants. The hands of harpist James Predovich were gracefully dancing, too, and it is interesting to note that the harp – the quintessential angelic instrument – has the very last word in the symphony. The work is not a tragic or even dramatic one. Its tempo is slow and deliberate throughout. The composer seems to have made peace with death, an old familiar friend. He does not rebel against it. Instead, the mood is one of acceptance. Gounod’s Juliette sang “Je veux vivre” (“I Want to Live”), but perhaps dying is not so bad after all considering heaven’s many delights.
Mahler is difficult to perform, more so than Bruckner or Wagner for instance, because of constant shifts in tempo, volume, rhythm, color, and mood. His music expresses many complex thoughts and emotions, some of them in conflict with each other. For example, Mahler’s symphonies are architecturally very complex structures, but he favors the bucolic, natural harmonic tones of the woodwind, brass, and string instruments. However, the orchestra under Jaime Morales-Matos did an admirable job and delivered an interpretation that closely resembled the composer’s intentions. In the opinion of this reviewer, the quality of the performance was not far behind that of the Vienna or Berlin Philharmonic and perhaps even equal to it. A few imprecise smudges here or there were quickly forgiven and forgotten.
The Middlefield Banking Company was the main sponsor of the Symphony’s March concert. Additional support came from the Ohio Arts Council, the City of Delaware, Ohio Wesleyan University, donors, subscribers, and patrons. Thank you all for bringing high culture to Delaware and for making the city a place where the arts flourish. And let us not forget David S. Gray, once the President of OWU’s Board of Trustees, whose generosity more than a hundred years ago made the construction of Gray Chapel possible. His portrait hangs, largely ignored and forgotten, in the second-floor hallway of University Hall.
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.
"Symphony Explores Love and Death" By Thomas K. Wolber
After a rousing rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” the March concert of the Central Ohio Symphony began with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s overture to “Così fan tutte.” The opera buffa (comic opera) involves temptation, seduction, and love. Everybody does “it,” the title suggests. It is love that makes the world go round. Under Maestro Jaime Morales-Matos, the orchestra was able to reflect these turbulent urges well. The overture set the stage for the three arias that followed: “Juliette’s Waltz” from Charles Gounod’s “Romeo and Juliette”; “Meine Lippen, sie küssen so heiß” from Franz Lehár’s “Giuditta”; and “Sempre libera” from Giuseppe Verdi’s “La traviata.” Soprano Laura Portune, the soloist, has called the arias, which she sang in three different languages, “a tour de force.” They are indeed technically challenging, with lots of high notes, but Portune faced them with practiced mastery and supreme confidence. Her strong and pristine voice soared above the orchestra and filled every corner of the grand concert hall. In the Verdi aria, Portune was briefly joined by tenor Benjamin Bunsold, a 1995 OWU music graduate who sang the part of Alfredo. His full and expressive voice matched Portune’s coloratura soprano beautifully.
What the arias have in common is the passionate desire of their young protagonists to be free, to live, and to love as they please while they are still young and impulsive. They sense that their youthful vitality will not last forever and that eventually a day of reckoning will come. Even the most beautiful flower is fated to wither and wilt some day. There is a bittersweet undertone to all three pieces. Love and death are intertwined in many operas, including the ones from which the arias are excerpted. Portune says Lehár’s “Meine Lippen” is her favorite. It is indeed a great tune full of fiery oriental rhythms and Spanish flamenco music. Giuditta freely admits that the hot blood of gypsies runs through her veins and that she was born to dance and make love. In some performances, “Giuditta” throws off her shoes and other trappings of civilization and starts to wildly dance and flirt without much inhibition. Portune did not resort to such drastic measures, but given the subject matter a few symbolic twirls would have been perfectly appropriate. She did take a few tentative dancing steps, however.
Gustav Mahler’s somber “Symphony No. 4” is equally ambivalent, with “Freund Hein” (“Friend Henry”) – a representation of death – never far away. Mahler was intimately familiar with death. The second movement contains a haunting “danse macabre.” The fourth movement is essentially one long symphonic song, “Das himmlische Leben” (“The Heavenly Life”), not coincidentally written in a happy major key. Once again sung radiantly by soprano Laura Portune, it describes the simple and joyous life of an innocent child who is now in heaven where it sings and dances all day long and gets to eat and drink whatever it wants. The hands of harpist James Predovich were gracefully dancing, too, and it is interesting to note that the harp – the quintessential angelic instrument – has the very last word in the symphony. The work is not a tragic or even dramatic one. Its tempo is slow and deliberate throughout. The composer seems to have made peace with death, an old familiar friend. He does not rebel against it. Instead, the mood is one of acceptance. Gounod’s Juliette sang “Je veux vivre” (“I Want to Live”), but perhaps dying is not so bad after all considering heaven’s many delights.
Mahler is difficult to perform, more so than Bruckner or Wagner for instance, because of constant shifts in tempo, volume, rhythm, color, and mood. His music expresses many complex thoughts and emotions, some of them in conflict with each other. For example, Mahler’s symphonies are architecturally very complex structures, but he favors the bucolic, natural harmonic tones of the woodwind, brass, and string instruments. However, the orchestra under Jaime Morales-Matos did an admirable job and delivered an interpretation that closely resembled the composer’s intentions. In the opinion of this reviewer, the quality of the performance was not far behind that of the Vienna or Berlin Philharmonic and perhaps even equal to it. A few imprecise smudges here or there were quickly forgiven and forgotten.
The Middlefield Banking Company was the main sponsor of the Symphony’s March concert. Additional support came from the Ohio Arts Council, the City of Delaware, Ohio Wesleyan University, donors, subscribers, and patrons. Thank you all for bringing high culture to Delaware and for making the city a place where the arts flourish. And let us not forget David S. Gray, once the President of OWU’s Board of Trustees, whose generosity more than a hundred years ago made the construction of Gray Chapel possible. His portrait hangs, largely ignored and forgotten, in the second-floor hallway of University Hall.
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.
April 28 Concert Review
"Central Ohio Symphony Soars to New Heights" By Thomas K. Wolbe
The Central Ohio Symphony concluded its 39th season on April 28 with various dark and/or nocturnal works by Giuseppe Verdi, Peter I. Tchaikovsky, Claude Debussy, and Maurice Ravel. The program started with Verdi’s overture to his opera “La forza del destino” (“The Force of Destiny”). Like Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, it begins with the destiny motive that is an early warning that the protagonists of the work are doomed by fate from the onset. There was a time when people believed in astrology and thought that their destiny was predetermined by heavenly bodies, and that “disaster” (“bad stars”) was caused by the moon, the planets, and the stars. The Symphony performed the relatively brief work with precision, having rehearsed it several times.
Tchaikovsky’s “Romeo and Juliet” has a similarly dreadful outcome. “For never was a story of more woe / than this of Juliet and her Romeo,” Shakespeare writes. The sun itself is so sad that she does not show her face the following morning. The two young lovers are severely admonished by their warring families who do not understand and have no empathy. When that does not stop Romeo and Juliet’s timeless passion for each other, they are brutally and violently torn apart, resulting in their death. But reunited in another realm, their love transcends the evils of the world and they live on as immortal stars in heaven. “Romeo and Juliet” is not easy to perform. There are technical difficulties, to be sure, but the emotional challenges may be even greater. The Symphony, under Music Director Jaime Morales-Matos, managed to strike the right balance in portraying love and hate, good and evil, agony and ecstasy. In a disunited world, full of demonic elements, Tchaikovsky’s fantasy overture still has a powerful story to tell. The composer’s yearning for unity, harmony, and peace shines through clearly.
Debussy’s lovely “Claire de lune,” was originally written for the piano. Like Beethoven’s “Moonlight” piano sonata no. 14, it is one of the most famous depictions of Earth’s lunar planet. André Caplet, a contemporary of Debussy and Ravel, wrote the orchestral arrangement used for this performance. The sensuous melody of the piece, which uses lots of strings and legato, was beautifully rendered by the Symphony.
The main work of the evening was Ravel’s “Daphnis and Chloé.” The two suites were performed without pause, with Dr. José Francisco Salgado’s film “Moonrise” projected on a huge screen behind the orchestra. The documentary shows the history of moon exploration over the centuries, many depictions of the moon waxing and waning, and lunar eclipses. It is a production of KV 265, which also made a documentary that accompanies Gustav Holst’s “The Planets” (2012). As Dr. Salgado said during his astronomy lecture on the previous day, KV 265 is a reference to Mozart’s twelve piano variations of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” (Köchelverzeichnis 265). “Daphnis and Chloé” was a true test for the Symphony. The daring and lush work is Ravel’s longest and a veritable tour de force that taxes even the most prestigious orchestras in the world. Additional musicians had to be brought in, including lots of percussionists. However, even during rehearsals the Symphony’s main problem was not musical exactitude. Instead, the challenge was to perfectly align the length of the six movie segments with the six movements of the suites. In the end they were a few seconds off in a couple of instances, but that truly did not matter. The Symphony’s technical execution was astounding, due to the musicians’ superior skills and Maestro Morales-Matos’ watchful ear and eye. The delighted audience was in heaven and applauded the orchestra and its conductor with a standing ovation.
Following the concert, a dozen members of the Columbus Astronomical Society set up telescopes behind University Hall. It was a crystal-clear night, and concertgoers were invited to look at the full moon and its craters. Jupiter was also visible above the horizon, and, following in the footsteps of Galilei, interested parties could gaze at the planet’s four planets. The CAS has monthly meetings at Perkins Observatory. One of the members also informed the viewers that after years in the making, John Glenn Astronomy Park will open June 21 near Logan in Ohio’s Hocking Hills where the night sky can still be seen in its near pristine state. The new park is dedicated to sparking an interest in science, learning, and exploration by sharing with visitors the wonders of the sky, both day and night.
The celestial concert on April 28 was one of the most memorable ever. Afterwards, the moonstruck audience praised the Symphony for what it brings to the community, enriching and inspiring it in the process. As always, thanks to everyone who made the concert possible, including sponsor First Commonwealth Bank. If the Fates decree it, we will all see each other again at the Symphony’s July 4 plein-air concert on the OWU campus at 7:30 p.m. Until then, may the moon, planets, and stars watch over you.
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.
"Central Ohio Symphony Soars to New Heights" By Thomas K. Wolbe
The Central Ohio Symphony concluded its 39th season on April 28 with various dark and/or nocturnal works by Giuseppe Verdi, Peter I. Tchaikovsky, Claude Debussy, and Maurice Ravel. The program started with Verdi’s overture to his opera “La forza del destino” (“The Force of Destiny”). Like Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, it begins with the destiny motive that is an early warning that the protagonists of the work are doomed by fate from the onset. There was a time when people believed in astrology and thought that their destiny was predetermined by heavenly bodies, and that “disaster” (“bad stars”) was caused by the moon, the planets, and the stars. The Symphony performed the relatively brief work with precision, having rehearsed it several times.
Tchaikovsky’s “Romeo and Juliet” has a similarly dreadful outcome. “For never was a story of more woe / than this of Juliet and her Romeo,” Shakespeare writes. The sun itself is so sad that she does not show her face the following morning. The two young lovers are severely admonished by their warring families who do not understand and have no empathy. When that does not stop Romeo and Juliet’s timeless passion for each other, they are brutally and violently torn apart, resulting in their death. But reunited in another realm, their love transcends the evils of the world and they live on as immortal stars in heaven. “Romeo and Juliet” is not easy to perform. There are technical difficulties, to be sure, but the emotional challenges may be even greater. The Symphony, under Music Director Jaime Morales-Matos, managed to strike the right balance in portraying love and hate, good and evil, agony and ecstasy. In a disunited world, full of demonic elements, Tchaikovsky’s fantasy overture still has a powerful story to tell. The composer’s yearning for unity, harmony, and peace shines through clearly.
Debussy’s lovely “Claire de lune,” was originally written for the piano. Like Beethoven’s “Moonlight” piano sonata no. 14, it is one of the most famous depictions of Earth’s lunar planet. André Caplet, a contemporary of Debussy and Ravel, wrote the orchestral arrangement used for this performance. The sensuous melody of the piece, which uses lots of strings and legato, was beautifully rendered by the Symphony.
The main work of the evening was Ravel’s “Daphnis and Chloé.” The two suites were performed without pause, with Dr. José Francisco Salgado’s film “Moonrise” projected on a huge screen behind the orchestra. The documentary shows the history of moon exploration over the centuries, many depictions of the moon waxing and waning, and lunar eclipses. It is a production of KV 265, which also made a documentary that accompanies Gustav Holst’s “The Planets” (2012). As Dr. Salgado said during his astronomy lecture on the previous day, KV 265 is a reference to Mozart’s twelve piano variations of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” (Köchelverzeichnis 265). “Daphnis and Chloé” was a true test for the Symphony. The daring and lush work is Ravel’s longest and a veritable tour de force that taxes even the most prestigious orchestras in the world. Additional musicians had to be brought in, including lots of percussionists. However, even during rehearsals the Symphony’s main problem was not musical exactitude. Instead, the challenge was to perfectly align the length of the six movie segments with the six movements of the suites. In the end they were a few seconds off in a couple of instances, but that truly did not matter. The Symphony’s technical execution was astounding, due to the musicians’ superior skills and Maestro Morales-Matos’ watchful ear and eye. The delighted audience was in heaven and applauded the orchestra and its conductor with a standing ovation.
Following the concert, a dozen members of the Columbus Astronomical Society set up telescopes behind University Hall. It was a crystal-clear night, and concertgoers were invited to look at the full moon and its craters. Jupiter was also visible above the horizon, and, following in the footsteps of Galilei, interested parties could gaze at the planet’s four planets. The CAS has monthly meetings at Perkins Observatory. One of the members also informed the viewers that after years in the making, John Glenn Astronomy Park will open June 21 near Logan in Ohio’s Hocking Hills where the night sky can still be seen in its near pristine state. The new park is dedicated to sparking an interest in science, learning, and exploration by sharing with visitors the wonders of the sky, both day and night.
The celestial concert on April 28 was one of the most memorable ever. Afterwards, the moonstruck audience praised the Symphony for what it brings to the community, enriching and inspiring it in the process. As always, thanks to everyone who made the concert possible, including sponsor First Commonwealth Bank. If the Fates decree it, we will all see each other again at the Symphony’s July 4 plein-air concert on the OWU campus at 7:30 p.m. Until then, may the moon, planets, and stars watch over you.
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.
Central Ohio Symphony Links Up with Fourth Graders
On Tuesday, May 15, the Central Ohio Symphony welcomed some 900 fourth graders from the City of Delaware and Delaware County for another interactive concert in OWU’s David S. Gray Chapel. The theme was “The Orchestra Sings.” Jaime Morales-Matos was the conductor this year, and Kristen Basore once again served as host and song leader. This was an exciting field trip for the kids, but it was also the climax of many weeks and months of preparation for the event. The Symphony, partnering with Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute developed the program where the students had learned a number of vocal and instrumental pieces and were already familiar with the words and tunes. Hundreds brought their recorders and sang and played along while the orchestra performed. They were no longer passive listeners; they became engaged partners. Who knows – as a result of this experience some may end up as professional musicians in an orchestra some day.
After a rendition of Mozart’s overture to “The Marriage of Figaro,” the children were introduced to the four sections of the orchestra – the strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion. Then, they learned about proper tuning. “The orchestra tunes to the oboe,” Kristen Basore explained. After the introduction, about ten pieces were on the program. Some were songs with words such as “Row, Row, Row Your Boat,” “Come to Play,” the old Shaker song “Tis a Gift to Be Simple,” “To Make Words Sing,” and “I Bought Me a Cat.” Beethoven’s Ode to Joy” (from his Symphony No. 9) also played a prominent role. Curious parents can find these and other “Link Up” songs on YouTube if they type in “Carnegie” and the title of the song.
After this first round, the students learned that musical instruments too can play melodies and tell stories – so-called “songs without words.” Examples were Dvorak’s “Symphony from the New World” and Stravinsky’s ballet “The Firebird.” Of course, the Symphony played only excerpts, not the entire works. Then, 17-year-old Hayes High School junior (and rising senior) Adryán Rojas played part of the first movement of Mendelssohn’s Violin Concert in E minor, accompanied by the full orchestra. He is a talented musician whose award-winning quartet has already performed in a number of national competitions. He performed the fast and challenging Mendelssohn piece with great technical skill and emotional depth, as demanded by the composer (“allegro molto appassionato”). The young, mature violinist is seriously contemplating a career in music and hopes to attend a music conservatory after his graduation from high school.
All the kids had great fun at the concert. Not one looked distracted or bored. Not only that – they also learned a lot about orchestras and classical music during the event. They may soon forget the names of Mozart and Beethoven, Mendelssohn and Dvorak, but what they won’t forget is the power of music and how it can unite even disparate people and build community. The last song, sung by everyone in Spanish and English, was the jazzy and rhythmically inspiring “Oye”: “I am all alone,” the song starts, “in tears and in the dark.” But others call out to her and reach out to him, ready to embrace the child lost in the shadows, and lift it up. With music, no one is alone. Singing brings together and builds community. It also gives hope and empowers. The kids were swaying, dancing, and jumping in excitement when they sang “Oye.” This is an experience the fourth-graders will not forget.
Thanks are due to the Delaware County Foundation for major project support and the Ohio Arts Council, Aldi Food Stores, the City of Delaware, Delaware Lions Club, the Delaware Music Academy (Adam Furay served as sound engineer), and Ohio Wesleyan University. Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute provided the programing concept and curriculum materials. Thanks are also due to the many active participants, especially the kids themselves and their music instructors. Kristen Basore’s strong leadership and beautiful voice deserve special recognition. Her job may have been the most demanding of them all, but as a professional studio teacher of piano, voice, and acting she handled it with confidence and grace. Lastly, our thanks also go to the various school districts in Delaware County that supported the initiative. Events of this nature inspire not only the children, impacting their future in unknown and immeasurable ways, they also enrich families, communities, and society as a whole. As Lyndon B. Johnson said in his remarks when he signed the bill to create the NEA and NEH in 1965, “Art is a nation’s most precious heritage.” Without the vision and mission that the arts, including music, provide, the people perish and will be condemned to loneliness, darkness, and tears. There is no greater gift we can give to our children than the arts.
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.
On Tuesday, May 15, the Central Ohio Symphony welcomed some 900 fourth graders from the City of Delaware and Delaware County for another interactive concert in OWU’s David S. Gray Chapel. The theme was “The Orchestra Sings.” Jaime Morales-Matos was the conductor this year, and Kristen Basore once again served as host and song leader. This was an exciting field trip for the kids, but it was also the climax of many weeks and months of preparation for the event. The Symphony, partnering with Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute developed the program where the students had learned a number of vocal and instrumental pieces and were already familiar with the words and tunes. Hundreds brought their recorders and sang and played along while the orchestra performed. They were no longer passive listeners; they became engaged partners. Who knows – as a result of this experience some may end up as professional musicians in an orchestra some day.
After a rendition of Mozart’s overture to “The Marriage of Figaro,” the children were introduced to the four sections of the orchestra – the strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion. Then, they learned about proper tuning. “The orchestra tunes to the oboe,” Kristen Basore explained. After the introduction, about ten pieces were on the program. Some were songs with words such as “Row, Row, Row Your Boat,” “Come to Play,” the old Shaker song “Tis a Gift to Be Simple,” “To Make Words Sing,” and “I Bought Me a Cat.” Beethoven’s Ode to Joy” (from his Symphony No. 9) also played a prominent role. Curious parents can find these and other “Link Up” songs on YouTube if they type in “Carnegie” and the title of the song.
After this first round, the students learned that musical instruments too can play melodies and tell stories – so-called “songs without words.” Examples were Dvorak’s “Symphony from the New World” and Stravinsky’s ballet “The Firebird.” Of course, the Symphony played only excerpts, not the entire works. Then, 17-year-old Hayes High School junior (and rising senior) Adryán Rojas played part of the first movement of Mendelssohn’s Violin Concert in E minor, accompanied by the full orchestra. He is a talented musician whose award-winning quartet has already performed in a number of national competitions. He performed the fast and challenging Mendelssohn piece with great technical skill and emotional depth, as demanded by the composer (“allegro molto appassionato”). The young, mature violinist is seriously contemplating a career in music and hopes to attend a music conservatory after his graduation from high school.
All the kids had great fun at the concert. Not one looked distracted or bored. Not only that – they also learned a lot about orchestras and classical music during the event. They may soon forget the names of Mozart and Beethoven, Mendelssohn and Dvorak, but what they won’t forget is the power of music and how it can unite even disparate people and build community. The last song, sung by everyone in Spanish and English, was the jazzy and rhythmically inspiring “Oye”: “I am all alone,” the song starts, “in tears and in the dark.” But others call out to her and reach out to him, ready to embrace the child lost in the shadows, and lift it up. With music, no one is alone. Singing brings together and builds community. It also gives hope and empowers. The kids were swaying, dancing, and jumping in excitement when they sang “Oye.” This is an experience the fourth-graders will not forget.
Thanks are due to the Delaware County Foundation for major project support and the Ohio Arts Council, Aldi Food Stores, the City of Delaware, Delaware Lions Club, the Delaware Music Academy (Adam Furay served as sound engineer), and Ohio Wesleyan University. Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute provided the programing concept and curriculum materials. Thanks are also due to the many active participants, especially the kids themselves and their music instructors. Kristen Basore’s strong leadership and beautiful voice deserve special recognition. Her job may have been the most demanding of them all, but as a professional studio teacher of piano, voice, and acting she handled it with confidence and grace. Lastly, our thanks also go to the various school districts in Delaware County that supported the initiative. Events of this nature inspire not only the children, impacting their future in unknown and immeasurable ways, they also enrich families, communities, and society as a whole. As Lyndon B. Johnson said in his remarks when he signed the bill to create the NEA and NEH in 1965, “Art is a nation’s most precious heritage.” Without the vision and mission that the arts, including music, provide, the people perish and will be condemned to loneliness, darkness, and tears. There is no greater gift we can give to our children than the arts.
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.