06
Apr
2004
On Sunday, I wasn't looking forward to entering darkened Centennial Hall for the closing concert of the Quad City Symphony Orchestra season. I was thinking it would be a better use of the day to stay outside. But after an afternoon of relaxing, introspective music, I was better able to enjoy the sunshine-filled day. The program of Johann Strauss II, Richard Strauss, and Brahms fitted the mood of spring, presenting pieces that seemed to say "farewell" to one season and "welcome" to the next simultaneously with music that was expectant and regretful, sad and ecstatic.
To begin the concert, conductor Donald Schleicher regaled us with the tradition of the Blue Danube Waltz. In Vienna, the waltz is performed at the end of the New Year's Eve concert. The attendees are so thrilled to hear the beginning trills of the piece that they applaud, to which the conductor of the evening turns and, with the orchestra, wishes the audience a happy new year.
In keeping with tradition and in response to Schleicher's request, the audience hesitantly applauded at the beginning of the piece. The conductor turned to the audience and, with the orchestra, said, "Happy spring!" During the piece, Schleicher kept the mood playful as he accelerated the slow-as-molasses tempo to a frightfully quick pace. Then, as the orchestra responded immediately to his direction, he slowed the speed once again to an agonizing tempo. This mischievous change of speed continued throughout the piece, giving perspective and interest.
For Richard Strauss' Four Last Songs, the symphony accompanied soprano Twyla Robinson, whom the Wall Street Journal recently named "one of the rising stars of spring." Robinson's friendly yet refined presence gave the piece a touch of class and human interest as her voice soared clearly and purely.
I felt the orchestra's accompaniment was too loud, however. At points in the piece, I couldn't hear the guest at all. Robinson's performance was more pure, clear, and clean than powerful, but the orchestra failed to respond dynamically to allow her performance to be heard as well as it should have been.
Four Last Songs, the final compositions of Strauss' life, are based on German poems, which, when translated, mean "Spring," "September," "Going to Sleep," and "Sunset." Evoking emotions of expectancy, hope, and celebration, as well as sadness, loss, and resignation, the four movements reached out and delivered Strauss' message, which, according to the program notes, was "the immense sense of cultural loss that was wrought on Germany" by World War II. I don't understand German, but the music conveyed the message effectively, evoking the sense of loss with frequent changes from major to minor chords. The audience members reacted with stunned silence after the final notes of the piece and followed with a standing ovation.
The concert concluded with Johannes Brahms' Symphony No. 1 in C minor. From the huge beginning pulsating notes to the smooth plucking melodies, the piece ended the concert and the season strikingly. I especially enjoyed the final movement, which began so dramatically that I jumped. During a part of the piece, the strings plucked the melody, beginning softly and accelerating suddenly to a dramatic climax. Directly after the climax, the strings changed to a smooth, racing line with woodwind accent notes. Near the end of the piece, the French horns introduced a brazen, unnervingly strong melody line that the flutes echoed. When the winds took up the melody, Brahms changed it, adding minor chords and a mysterious, fearful final phrase. The ending lines once again introduced a strong line, interspersed with repeated notes.
Schliecher seemed to be engaged in a swordfight while directing this piece, once grasping the baton with both hand and slashing wildly through the air. The music complemented the mental image with its urgency and excitement.
To begin the concert, conductor Donald Schleicher regaled us with the tradition of the Blue Danube Waltz. In Vienna, the waltz is performed at the end of the New Year's Eve concert. The attendees are so thrilled to hear the beginning trills of the piece that they applaud, to which the conductor of the evening turns and, with the orchestra, wishes the audience a happy new year.
In keeping with tradition and in response to Schleicher's request, the audience hesitantly applauded at the beginning of the piece. The conductor turned to the audience and, with the orchestra, said, "Happy spring!" During the piece, Schleicher kept the mood playful as he accelerated the slow-as-molasses tempo to a frightfully quick pace. Then, as the orchestra responded immediately to his direction, he slowed the speed once again to an agonizing tempo. This mischievous change of speed continued throughout the piece, giving perspective and interest.
For Richard Strauss' Four Last Songs, the symphony accompanied soprano Twyla Robinson, whom the Wall Street Journal recently named "one of the rising stars of spring." Robinson's friendly yet refined presence gave the piece a touch of class and human interest as her voice soared clearly and purely.
I felt the orchestra's accompaniment was too loud, however. At points in the piece, I couldn't hear the guest at all. Robinson's performance was more pure, clear, and clean than powerful, but the orchestra failed to respond dynamically to allow her performance to be heard as well as it should have been.
Four Last Songs, the final compositions of Strauss' life, are based on German poems, which, when translated, mean "Spring," "September," "Going to Sleep," and "Sunset." Evoking emotions of expectancy, hope, and celebration, as well as sadness, loss, and resignation, the four movements reached out and delivered Strauss' message, which, according to the program notes, was "the immense sense of cultural loss that was wrought on Germany" by World War II. I don't understand German, but the music conveyed the message effectively, evoking the sense of loss with frequent changes from major to minor chords. The audience members reacted with stunned silence after the final notes of the piece and followed with a standing ovation.
The concert concluded with Johannes Brahms' Symphony No. 1 in C minor. From the huge beginning pulsating notes to the smooth plucking melodies, the piece ended the concert and the season strikingly. I especially enjoyed the final movement, which began so dramatically that I jumped. During a part of the piece, the strings plucked the melody, beginning softly and accelerating suddenly to a dramatic climax. Directly after the climax, the strings changed to a smooth, racing line with woodwind accent notes. Near the end of the piece, the French horns introduced a brazen, unnervingly strong melody line that the flutes echoed. When the winds took up the melody, Brahms changed it, adding minor chords and a mysterious, fearful final phrase. The ending lines once again introduced a strong line, interspersed with repeated notes.
Schliecher seemed to be engaged in a swordfight while directing this piece, once grasping the baton with both hand and slashing wildly through the air. The music complemented the mental image with its urgency and excitement.
