Coming up, for our last concert of the season, we present Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, Resurrection.
What started as a one-movement symphonic poem turned into the most successful work of Mahler’s lifetime. The first movement of Resurrection represents a funeral; the second movement honors the joy in the life that was lost; the third movement questions whether life has meaning; the fourth movement seeks to escape a meaningless existence; and the fifth movement soars with hope of renewal. Mahler was inspired to write the finale at the funeral of fellow conductor Hans von Bülow, who had admired the symphonic poem. The funeral included Klopstock’s Die Auferstehung (The Resurrection), which Mahler used as text for the choral center of the fifth movement. The Colorado Springs Chorale, a choir of 120 voices, and soloists Ilana Davidson and Susan Platts will join us for this ending of epic proportions.
Thank you for joining us for our final concert of the season, and we hope that you have enjoyed this condensed preview series. See you next season!
May 19, 8:00pm
May 20, 2:30pm
For more information, please visit csphilharmonic.org.
We’ve just posted new audition notices for the following openings in the orchestra:
Violins
Assistant Concertmaster
Tutti Violin I (1)
Violas
Associate Principal Viola
Cellos
Tutti Cello (2)
Basses
Tutti Bass (1)
Click here for more details on musician openings.
In addition, we’re also looking for a Patron Services Coordinator.
It’s almost time to wrap up this season, which means that summer is on its way. If this makes you want to sing, “Summertime, and the livin’ is easy,” you’re in luck! We bring to you the music of two American greats: Leonard Bernstein and George Gershwin. Bernstein, once described by the New York Times as “one of the most prodigiously talented and successful musicians in American history,” took the nation by force with his musical West Side Story. He is famous for his mastery of both the concert hall and Broadway. Gershwin also wrote for both classical and popular audiences, and in fact wrote many of the most recognizable songs in American culture. His folk opera Porgy and Bess broke cultural and ethnic barriers, and his Rhapsody in Blue showed what he called “a musical kaleidoscope of America.” Their timeless pieces will show you why these composers had such great influence on 20th century music.
May 12, 8pm
For more information, please visit csphilharmonic.org.
One of the great parts of life with the Colorado Springs Philharmonic is visiting with patrons at concerts. In particular, our subscribers care so much about the music performed, and also about the general health of our organization. They’re the ultimate insiders, and so appreciated.
Invariably, I get questions from patrons and musicians of the orchestra about recording our concerts for sale. It’s a good idea, right? After hearing a heartpounding performance of Rachmaninoff’s 3rd Concerto, it’s only natural to want to seek out a recording of that concert to hear again later. It’s so gratifying to get this question, but the question remains: why don’t we record concerts for sale? Answer: It’s complicated. In fact, buy me a beer sometime and I’ll try to explain.
Far beyond any financial drawbacks, I’d argue that no recording is the same as the LIVE concert experience. I was reminded of this when reading Daniel Gulati’s post in the Harvard Business Review called “Stop Documenting, Start Experiencing.” For so many, it’s an overwhelming impulse to document every moment. (Enjoying yourself? Quick, snap a picture for Facebook!) It’s so ingrained that we easily forget to consciously live in the moment and really experience life.
I’m in no position to lecture – trust me, my iPhone is rarely out of arm’s reach. But concerts have become a sacred time for me to turn off the distractions and really listen. That’s one of the great things about live music, after all. Its fleeting nature is the thing that makes it so special. As my buddy Judy Fair Spaulding would say, “You gotta BE THERE, honey, to really feel it!” No recording – ever – can replace a live concert.
Next time you’re in a concert, I invite you to open up to the music, let go of distractions, and join us in the moment. Listening is a fine art in itself. Your patience will be rewarded.
Our last Vanguard performance of the season will begin with Haydn’s Military Symphony. The symphony earned its nickname by its use of trumpet fanfares and percussion effects. One critic wrote that the second movement, notable for the use of “Turkish” instruments, sounded like a “hellish roar of war increase[ing] to a climax of horrid sublimity!”
Next, we will present Essay No. 2 by Samuel Barber, the composer famous for writing Adagio for Strings. The piece begins with a solo flute fanfare, becomes more agitated in the second theme, and finishes introducing themes with a caustic fugue based on the earlier fanfare. All three themes come together to conclude the essay.
The concert will finish with Petrushka, the story of a traditional Russian puppet that comes to life and develops emotions. The music is famous for the bitonal “Petrushka chord” that announces the appearance of the puppet. (The chord is made of C Major and F# Major triads played together.) Each dance in the ballet is integrated into the plot.
Carolyn Kuan, the Music Director of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra known for her explosive passion and musical depth, conducts.
Apr. 28, 8:00pm
For more information, please visit csphilharmonic.org.
