Last Wednesday, Boston Symphony Orchestra opened its new season as it bedazzled in its yearly Opening Night led by conductor James Levine. The city's highest echelons of society, and music lovers alike gathered under the decorous ceilings of Symphony Hall for a harmonious night with good company and fine music. Whatever the motivation, for those in attendance, one statement could be shared among attendees: "Damn, that was good."
A celebration of musicians marched on stage to make this night memorable. First, the comeback of lead conductor and artistic director James Levine has been highly anticipated since a kidney transplant had him sidelined all of last year. The list of performers included the prodigious Evgeny Kissin, who showcased talent with the piano before the beloved John Williams (known as the composer for Star Wars and his showing at last years 'Pops! on the Heights') debuted a concerto for the harp featuring Ann Hobson Pilot. Talents abounded in every corner of the presentation.
The acoustics ignited with echoes from French composer Hector Berlioz's "Roman Carnival Overture," based off the composer's opera Benvenuto Cellini. The percussion glimmered and the French horns paraded in this colorful piece. Its festival of quick passages and playfulness was a smart choice by Levine for an optimistic grand opening.
Arriving next was a romanticist's pleasure, "Chopin Piano Concerto No. 2 in F Minor." Russian-born Evgeny Kissin accompanied the orchestra on piano. Known world-wide, he has been acknowledged at the Grammy's for individual performance and has a long lasting passion for Chopin's collection of Nocturnes - romantic night pieces for the piano. Extracting the smallest fractions of sound as well as unyielding volumes, Kissin went mad. Visually, his hair paralleled the music in a progression from neat to wildly unkempt; audibly, Kissin controlled the audience's breaths. They could only be satisfied again with more than deserving and fashionable encore piece.
The most anticipated piece of the evening was from the 21st century geniuses of John Williams and harpist Ann Hobson Pilot, who impressed the audience with their originality and defining personalities. A world premiere, his piece was and fashionable encore piece.
The most anticipated piece of the evening was from the 21st century genius of John Williams and harpist Ann Hobson Pilot, who impressed the audience with their originality and defining personalities.
As a world premiere, Williams' piece was vulnerable to a reviewer's first impression but appreciation for musical innovation was my first response. The first composition, "On Willows," was inspired by the biblical quote, "We hanged our harps upon the willows," from Psalm 137. The piece has dissonances, a stylization of irresolution in sounds, that made the futurists giddy and the traditionalists huffing in frustration. However, mutations of sound have always been known in musical (and generally artistic) traditions to bear fruits of invention. Bravos were given to Williams for his refreshing notes.
More sweet sounds appeared in his second piece, "On Birches," which was inspired by a quote from poet Robert Frost, "One could do worse than be a swinger of birches." Sounding a bit nostalgic of Williams' compositions from the classic blockbuster ET, it had an olympic sound rather than the expected mellifluous 'swinging' at times. Harpist Ann Pilot's interpretation was celebratory. During "On Birches," Pilot's hands expressed a sound representing the essence of water itself. One of Boston Symphony's oldest members, standing aloft for more than 30 years, Pilot is a forcible presence.
The night ended with a piece by French impressionist composer Claude Debussy, "La Mer, Three Symphonic Sketches." Calling upon the orchestra to provide moods of weightlessness, richness, and gallantry, the piece displays musical prowess. The final moments of the piece utilize every member to produce an almost supernatural volume of harmony that leaves the audience with a chill. The orchestra reminded its audience that it stands above the rest in not only reputation but in every current musician that is a part of the full bodied strings, the royal brasses, or the gentle wind sections. Cuddled in the acoustics of Symphony Hall, the reverberations of Boston Symphony's Opening Night will be heard all over the city, making the 2009 Fall Season one not to be left astray.
Boston Symphony Orchestra has especially catered to college students this year with $20 ticket deals for concert goers with student IDs.
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