Realities of today’s international conflicts purposely intruded on MSO’s Bravo I concert on Saturday, October 4, as it focused on Russian/Ukrainian repertoire. Two historically important Russian composers, Igor Stravinsky and Sergei Rachmaninoff, were paired with two recent Ukrainian composers, Valentin Silvestrov and Myroslav Skoryk. Maestro Crafton Beck’s programming was inspirational with Silvestrov’s “Prayer for Ukraine” providing a beautiful, introspective moment to begin the concert. The cacophony of Stravinsky’s “Symphonies of Wind Instruments” paved the way for dealing with and accepting non-traditional harmonies and rhythms. Skoryk’s “Melody from ‘The High Pass’” made a lovely, comforting closing to the first half of the program.
The symphony’s performance of Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2 was one of the best I have ever experienced in my more than four decades of hearing MSO. All orchestral sections performed in almost perfect synchrony and created 55 minutes of playing that passed so quickly. The work was a perfect artistic statement of struggle, rising tension, conflict resolution, and hope. One did not have to be a professional musician to be moved by the playing and hearing of this music. One concertgoer told me that she could hardly sleep following the concert because of the power and beauty she experienced. Typical Rachmaninoff emotionally laden melodies were cathartic in their effect as they emerged from conflict burdened sections. Several players were featured by short, beautiful moments, but clarinetist Jorge Diez’s substantive solo was particularly worthy of applause. Beck was at his best as he adroitly shaped the rise and fall of Rachmaninoff’s melodies and infused difficult moments with energy and precision.
The orchestra was a microcosm how a group of people from varied backgrounds and certainly varied opinions can come together for a great purpose and be able, as Captain Jean-Luc Picard said so often, to “make it so.” Currently MSO personnel roster represents players from Eastern Europe, Latin America, Turkey (some on work VISAS), and probably other international homes. Each player has definite ideas about how their parts should be played, and Beck certainly embraces this as he allows the orchestra to find the best way to play together. The only way to find the best playing is to work together for the common goal. The orchestra certainly accomplished this on October 4. Kudos to Maestro Beck and each player for their inspired, unified artistic expression during the entire evening, but especially in Rachmaninoff’s symphony.
Tim Coker, Ph. D., is Emeritus Professor of Music Millsaps College.
