Tovey Conducts Beethoven.

Academic Report

On March 24, 2007, music director, Bramwell Tovey, director of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra came to Toronto, to conduct a program featuring Stephen Chatman's "Over Thorns to Stars", as well as favorites such a Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4, and Camille Saint-Saens "Organ Symphony".

In June 2002, Maestro Bramwel Tovey commissioned Stephen Chatman of Vancouver to compose a piece in honour of the victims of the Stptember 11 atacks. In response to this request, Stephen Chatman wrote the piece "Over Thorns to Stars" which expressed the many emotions associated with 9/11: agony, love, valor, determination, and most importantly, the resilience of the human spirit. It was a tremendously moving piece as Chatman scored it to include melodic lines that would continually rise all throughout the duration of this piece. This further depicts the perseverance of the human spirit amidst encounters with difficulty, and the amassed devastation associated with the terrorist attacks that occurred on the morning of September 11, 2001. Also, it is interesting to note that Stephen Chatman went so far as to score a "mysterious instrument" that would sound offstage yet appear towards the end of the piece with a solo. This slight diversion from normal orchestral instrumentation further accentuates the nature of the human spirit to be resilient and invisible, able to withstand attacks from aversive counterparts. Also, the slow rising lines, which gradually increase in intensity, are indicative of hopefulness and strength. As a result, the piece sounds very American, as intended by the compose through the use of harmonious lines as well as open chords.

Following the performance of Chatman's contemporary work was Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4, which featured Jane Coop on piano. The first movement of this work is quite lively and boisterous whereas the second movement is more interesting in terms of mood and dialogue. The orchestra seems to converse unpleasantly with the piano as the strings make jagged, forceful statements, to which the piano replies with quiet chords and a calm disposition. The melody featured on the piano is intimately personal, and is played by Jane Coop with a deeply melancholic tone. The discourse between the piano and the strings create a scene in which a drama unfolds. However. by the end of the piece, the orchestra has relented in their jagged harsh responses to the piano, and has adopted a more peaceful rhetoric.

Featured last on the program, was Saint-Saens "Organ Symphony". This piece was featured extensively at Roy Thomson Hall ten years ago with music director, Saraste in commission. However, it has declined in popularity since Peter Oundjian has superseded him. The organ symphony is held in contrast to the piano concerto that was featured before, as instead of having two distinct groups such as piano solo and orchestra, we have the organ acting as a member of the orchestra. Such a change in orchestral dynamics is indeed a refreshing one, as Patricia Krueger's performance is interwoven and spun into the orchestral texture to bring depth and grandeur to the music as a whole. This particular piece garnered Saint-Saens acclaim since he completed five symphonies, the "Organ" being the last without the present of a thriving French symphonic tradition.