On Sunday, Feb. 16, Peabody Conservatory hosted a classical musical recital featuring selected works by Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) and Aaron Copland (1900-1990). The music was conducted by Michael Repper and performed by a small orchestra comprised of Peabody students. The recital was open to the public in the Miriam A. Friedberg Concert Hall and was a component of the requirements for the DMA Orchestral Conducting degree.
The first piece performed was Haydn’s “Symphony No. 83 in G Minor, H. I:83.” The first movement, “Allegro Spiritoso,” was a very lively section that, interestingly, transitioned from the key of G minor to G major. Although this recital’s orchestra was pared down from a typical full one, the concert hall’s acoustics brought out the richest and liveliest sounds from the string section. The sparkling joy emanating from the violin section started the recital with a bang, and immediately lifted the audience’s spirits up on a frigid and cloudy day in Baltimore.
The second section, “Andante,” slowed down the tempo of the “Symphony” and placed more emphasis on the second violins and violas, while most of the other sections took a backseat and provided rich undertones. This mellower section provided an appropriate respite from the impactful “Allegro Spiritoso.” It allowed the audience to come back down from the elevated and wondrous mood of the first movement and appreciate the ensuing calmness.
The third and fourth movements, “Menuet: Allegretto - Trio” and “Finale: Vivace” bring back the fast-paced excitement. The former felt like a dance, and rightfully so, for the program notes that it complements the Parisian dance styles of Haydn’s time. This time, the sole flute in the orchestra is brought out of the shadows of the back row. Paired with the higher registers of the strings, the flute conjures up thoughts of birds in flight or dancers twirling across the floor, their steps like the staccato notes made by the instruments.
The “Finale” brings the “Symphony” full circle. It transitions smoothly from the dance-like movement from before and feels most like a celebration of all the movements that preceded it. The audience comes away from this gorgeous masterpiece feeling uplifted and excitedly anticipating what is to come next.
Famed American composer, Aaron Copland’s “Appalachian Spring Suite (Ballet for Martha)” was next. The amazing part of this iconic piece is that one does not merely listen to and temporarily find pleasure in it. Rather, its masterful composition and uniquely American cadences and melodies have a lasting effect. It inspires wonder at the revolutionary mind of Copland and fosters appreciation for the heritage of American music.
As the full title suggests, “Appalachian Spring” was actually composed for a ballet choreographed by Martha Graham. However, what audiences might not know is that even though the piece coincidentally invokes nature and the spirit of the Appalachian Mountains, they did not directly inspire Copland during his creative process.
Through the spirit of the music, listeners gather the spirit of the American landscape and vividly envision the beauty of the Appalachians, one of America’s crown jewels.
In introducing “Appalachian Spring,” Repper explained that the orchestra unanimously felt that standing up while playing lent to a more organic approach, which was appropriate for such a naturally majestic piece of music.
The most interesting part of “Appalachian Spring” is that each movement is like a separate chapter in a book, but contributes to a cohesive thing of beauty.
The first movement feels like a dewy sunrise over the pristine mountains; another movement sounds like a horse galloping across a meadow; one other movement illustrates water tripping over stones in a stream. Again, Copland never meant for the Appalachian Mountains to play a specific role in the music, but the audience cannot help but immediately think of them and their treasured role in the tapestry of the American geography.
By the time the concert was over, the audience felt gratified, its spirit uplifted by the irreplaceable works of Haydn and Copland. Free, public recitals like these are important to host at Hopkins because they create a harmonious community where everyone can find common ground in the unmistakable beauty of classical music.
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