Charlotte Symphony: Concert Report

The music starts with a 4-measure recitative introduction on the Bb – dominant of the key, followed by the waltz’s first theme. The theme was formed by three rising and four descending motives. A lively theme in scherzo style in Ab major follows. The piece

At 0:46 they introduce the first orator/conductor by the name of Michael Tielsson Thomas. Everyone applauds him. He explains what the audience will be in for for the evening. Then, clips of some of the orchestra members appear on the wall via projection. At 07:15 the orchestra then begins to play Allegro giocoso from Symphony No.4 in E minor, Op. 98 by Johannes Brahms from the Baroque Period. It was written in Austria by 1880s. The symphony is scored for two flutes (one doubling on piccolo), two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, contrabassoon, four horns, two trumpets, three trombones, timpani, triangle and strings.

The first and opening piece was a Roman Carnival Overture, Op. 9, by Hector Berlioz. In major tonality, classical piece started with vivace statement, and then slow introduction progressed later in allegro. It featured an independent solo that was performed with an English horn and gradually changed dynamics throughout the classical movement.

The next work that the Nashville symphony performed was George Gershwin's, "Rhapsody in Blue." This rhapsody combines classical music with some jazz infuences. The score for this calls for one flute, one oboe, one clarinet in E-flat, one clarinet in B- flat, one bass clarinet in B-flat, one heckelphone, one sporanino saxaphone in E-flat, one soprano saxaphone in B-flat, one alto saxaphone in E-flat, one tenor saxaphone in B-flat, and one baratone saxaphone in E-flat for the woodwins. For the brass, it called for two horns, two trumpets, two flugelhorns,euphonium, three trombones, and one tuba. On percussion it called for, one set of drums, one timpani set, and a trap set. Keyboards called for, two painos, one celesta, and one accordian. Finally, on strings, a banjo, violins, and string basses were played. Rhapsody in Blue is considered one of the top one hundred most influencial songs. The song paints a picture of a busy, fast paced city, which many people can relate to in today's society. Still today Rhapsody in Blue is one of the top twenty five most played songs. George Gershwin created a timeless piece that will be performed around the world for many years to come.

Originally written for viola, the bassoon transcription maintains the unique characteristics of the original Weber piece. The piece composed in two separate movements, Andante and Hungarian Rondo. The Andante section is a theme and short set of variations. The theme is in the mood and tempo of a siciliana, a slow dance with origins in Italy in the early Baroque period. There are three variations on this theme in this beginning movement. After the last variation where the bassoon completes its background quick moving notes as the orchestra plays the theme, a short bridge section leads directly to the second movement. The challenge of this first movement is accomplishing the stylistic lilt in the first variation. Although less technically challenging than the other compositions, accomplishing the correct feeling is

After the harps introduction, the violins begin to be playing the main melody. There is a simple waltz tune that plays in the background as the harps and violins play. There is a sense of delicateness and beauty with the flutes and clarinets playing in the background as well. There's ascending and descending and the tempo increases. "Idèe Fixe" is incorporated as soon as Berlioz sees the woman again and then it slowly fades away because the waltz takes over as she disappears into the crowd. The music becomes livelier. At the end there is a whirling rush and the movement ends because cause Berlioz is left alone

This piece is Allegro molto con brio from “Overture to Candide” composed by Leonard Bernstein and being performed by the New York Philharmonic.

The opening of the concerto brings a main theme introduced by a solo piano with the full orchestra providing a dramatic presence of several chords. The piano flourishes grow in length until reaching a cadenza after the third time. The full orchestra joins in and carries the theme into the full exposition. The theme is bold with a pleasant interjection of a second subject that seems to tiptoe through the movement. The orchestra stays in the tonic key as the piano modulates and reaches a wide variety of tones as the scales are worked. The development of the movement effectively flips the lead. The orchestra now leads and the piano accompanies. The main theme rhythm is reinforced by a powerful bassoon. The coda is lead by horns and joined by the rest of the orchestra to a thrilling close.

This piece starts with dark sounds which transitions to warm sounds. This shows the struggle between the light and darkness. The ensemble starts very quietly in a dark and brooding manner that slowly crescendos to overtake the soloist. The woodwinds have a lifted melody that was the perfect balance of articulation and intonation. The entire band plays what is supposed to be a very powerful part but lack air support. The sound produced sounds like the players are out of breath and is not accented enough. There is a grand pause and then they play a variation of what was just played this time with much more air and better accents. The sounds drop suddenly as the percussion and woodwinds blend producing a sound like one instrument. Throughout this section the balance and blending is very good with a clear melody and tone. There were a few places where there seem to be missed articulation but other than that this dark section is very clean. The piece switches to a portion that sounds almost Russian due to the speed and rhythm that is overtaken by darkness again. The clarinets and trumpets get off each other slightly towards the end but quickly recover. The clarinet solo mimics the vocal solos pitch while sounding less majestic. Slowly all the parts join in to crescendo slowly with very dissonant sounds; this leads into a very powerful release with bell

The works performed prior to the intermission and the main piece included Prelude to Act 1 from Palestrina by Hans Pfitzner and Concerto for Violin and Orchestra by Philip Glass. Prelude to Act 1 from Palestrina was slow, low and lovely. The woodwind section sounded beautiful, although perhaps I’m partial to woodwinds

I wanted to choose a scene that would be able to encompass all the feelings that were portrayed in this wonderful work. The piece seemed to be very reflective, so I thought of an elderly person thinking back about his life well spent, and the memories that shaped who he was as an individual. The music was able to capture all the emotions of the story I wanted to describe. I wanted someone to be able to feel and understand all the feelings that were being told through the music by creating a movie scene that could use every element of the piece. From the dynamics, the crescendos and decrescendos, the ritardandos, and the melody, a scene full of emotion was the only way to capture all of the music’s essence in a matter of

The overture begins with a fanfare in the brass, followed by a fast melody in the winds. The strings take up this melody and the piece reaches a climax with a four-note motif. Suddenly, the music reaches a more lyrical melody in the horns and cellos, although the tempo remains the same. Then the brass take the finally with a high-spirited and lively ending with the focus on the trumpets. This piece is marvellous because it fits right into the symphony of big bold brass. In the beginning and the end of the piece, the brass stole the show with cheerful and up lifting sections. The imagery in my head when I listen to this piece is a war. In the beginning, the fanfare in the brass represents the armies preparing to go to war. Then when the strings and horns take the melody, it represents the war occurring with the use of staccatos and accents to show the armies clashing together and the troops falling. The ending with the brass exhibits one army winning the war and celebrating the

3 in D Major. The string arrangements in the beginning show similarities with J. S. Bach’s popular work. In this movement, there is a slow theme in minor mode, which keeps coming back in different variations. Thus, I think this movement is in the rondo form. After adagio, the mood of the piece gets “brighter”. Allegretto is in the minuet form and it is build upon themes similar to each other. These themes consist of parallel and contrasting melodies. Texture-wise this symphony is homophonic. One can hear the different dynamics, but clearly it is not what this piece was written for. Speed and virtuosity is in the foreground.

The music in those final twenty minutes are so powerful, that I remember bawling my eyes out and clapping in the middle of the theatre. To this day, I still have Mia and Sebastian's Theme on my phone.

    The first movement of the suite is Mars Bringer of War which refers to the God of War. This movement includes various instruments such as tubas, trumpets, trombones, horns, timpani, flutes, clarinets, violins, cellos, and snare drums. The movement was characterized by five beats and a minor scale which indicates the opposite of happy. There is no harmonic purpose in the Bringer of War piece, I would classify it as an inhuman piece of work because war is horrific, insensible at all costs. The music was suspenseful and tormenting since the beginning, it had a fast tempo throughout the whole movement. Many dynamics were used all the way through, when the movement was finishing up many rests kept showing as if war came to an end or was coming to an end. Mars, Bringer of War gave me an utterly angry, threatening vibe, the combination of the rhythms, the vibrato of the string instruments and the beats of the drum gave the whole movement a military essence. Although I believe that the rhythm, in the beginning, was not the same in the end it somehow slightly changed. Gustav creates