I love walking out of a concert burning to talk about what I’ve just heard. For one thing, it means that the music successfully flushed everything else out of my head, and with the stresses of life, who doesn’t need that to happen every once in a while? Additionally, it means that the music fulfilled one of the many purposes of art by begging us to contemplate it in some way. Walking out of last Thursday’s (Feb. 19th) concert at the Strathmore, I had a lot to talk about.
Starting off a concert with a Charles Ives piece is an edgy move that is sure to catch the attention of your audience. The Unanswered Question, the first piece on the program, is no exception. For those unfamiliar with the composer, he was… to put it lightly… ahead of his time. There are stories of Charles Ives, as a 
young boy, sitting on a street corner at an open-air fair, between two brass bands, and listening to them perform at the same time, their melodies crashing in dissonance inside his head. When this is your childhood memory of music, you are going to write some interesting things. Although it sounds nothing like a brass band, The Unanswered Question does take full advantage of dissonance and lives up to the pensive quality of its title. The piece never gets too loud, although it does layer sounds in a way that forces the listener to ask “where is this going?” As you would expect, this question is not answered by the time the piece fades away. Conductor Marin Alsop’s use of her musicians worked very well for the piece. She only had the flute section on stage, with the strings backstage and trumpets positioned at the side and back doors of the hall. This, obviously, created an unsettling effect. Hearing violins in front of you, you squinted at the stage wondering why you couldn’t see them, only to be shocked to trumpet blasts from the left or right. The concert was off to a great start.
Although more traditional, the concert’s highlight, Saint-Saëns’ 3rd Symphony (AKA The Organ Symphony) was equally notable. This beautiful, sweeping work is really a fine example of a romantic symphony, especially when it is masterfully performed. I have always loved Saint-Saëns for his ability to create something that is just enough outside the ordinary to really
intrigue you. And such a diversity of style he had! Among his most famous works, Carnival of Animals is all over the board, from tender to bombastic, Danse Macabre (depicted at left) is the quintessential Halloween piece, and Danse Bacchanale (if you don't think the classics can be edgy, watch that clip) from Samson et Dalila has to be one of the most fun and energetic pieces out there (if you’re into low brass or timpani, you would especially agree with me). The 3rd Symphony, with the incorporation of the massive organ, also does not disappoint. What I love about this 
piece is the truly restrained use of the organ. It is not a concerto for the instrument, but rather an example of the instrument’s ability to contribute to the texture of the traditional symphony. When the organ first enters, several minutes into the piece, you actually feel it before you hear it, it’s coming in so low and soft. In contrast the stops are (proverbially and literally) pulled out at the beginning of the final movement when it comes through in all its glory.
To think, all this and some Mozart, too. Three centuries of music in three pieces -quite a lot to reflect on, if you think about it.
young boy, sitting on a street corner at an open-air fair, between two brass bands, and listening to them perform at the same time, their melodies crashing in dissonance inside his head. When this is your childhood memory of music, you are going to write some interesting things. Although it sounds nothing like a brass band, The Unanswered Question does take full advantage of dissonance and lives up to the pensive quality of its title. The piece never gets too loud, although it does layer sounds in a way that forces the listener to ask “where is this going?” As you would expect, this question is not answered by the time the piece fades away. Conductor Marin Alsop’s use of her musicians worked very well for the piece. She only had the flute section on stage, with the strings backstage and trumpets positioned at the side and back doors of the hall. This, obviously, created an unsettling effect. Hearing violins in front of you, you squinted at the stage wondering why you couldn’t see them, only to be shocked to trumpet blasts from the left or right. The concert was off to a great start.Although more traditional, the concert’s highlight, Saint-Saëns’ 3rd Symphony (AKA The Organ Symphony) was equally notable. This beautiful, sweeping work is really a fine example of a romantic symphony, especially when it is masterfully performed. I have always loved Saint-Saëns for his ability to create something that is just enough outside the ordinary to really
intrigue you. And such a diversity of style he had! Among his most famous works, Carnival of Animals is all over the board, from tender to bombastic, Danse Macabre (depicted at left) is the quintessential Halloween piece, and Danse Bacchanale (if you don't think the classics can be edgy, watch that clip) from Samson et Dalila has to be one of the most fun and energetic pieces out there (if you’re into low brass or timpani, you would especially agree with me). The 3rd Symphony, with the incorporation of the massive organ, also does not disappoint. What I love about this 
piece is the truly restrained use of the organ. It is not a concerto for the instrument, but rather an example of the instrument’s ability to contribute to the texture of the traditional symphony. When the organ first enters, several minutes into the piece, you actually feel it before you hear it, it’s coming in so low and soft. In contrast the stops are (proverbially and literally) pulled out at the beginning of the final movement when it comes through in all its glory.To think, all this and some Mozart, too. Three centuries of music in three pieces -quite a lot to reflect on, if you think about it.
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