On Thursday evening, a nearly sell-out crowd at the the Tivoli Theater heard the Chattanooga Symphony & Opera perform an emotional and uplifting concert that featured two works by masters of the orchestral literature. Under the steady and insightful leadership of Music Director Kayoko Dan, the CSO played with energy and commitment, breathing new life into this extraordinary music.
The concert began with a deeply moving and heartfelt performance of the Cello Concerto, Op. 85, by the early 20th century English composer, Sir Edward Elgar. Composed in 1919, it has become one of the major works in the solo cello repertoire.
The truly exceptional soloist was the young American cellist, Joshua Roman. He performed with passion and commitment, bringing out the melancholy, intimacy, and richness of this amazing work, and with a complete control of technique that was in every way equal to its considerable challenges. Maestra Dan led the orchestra with nuance and flexibility through the compositions many emotional twists and turns. One could sense that soloist, conductor and orchestra were really collaborating, responding and reacting to one another in a very special way, thus deepening the listening experience of those fortunate enough to be present.
Especially impressive in this performance was the ensemble's control and wide range of dynamics; the soft passages were quietly intense and the loud sections, full, strong and emphatic.
For an encore, Mr. Roman performed the Prelude from J.S. Bach's Suite No. 1, for unaccompanied cello. It was, quite simply, exquisite.
Heroic and epic in scale and content, the Symphony No. 5, Op. 64 by the Russian composer, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, concluded the concert. Although few if any in the theater may have realized it, the performance took on added significance because last Thursday, the very day of this CSO concert, was the 128th Anniversary of the premiere of this composition, which was conducted by Tchaikovsky, himself, on November 17, 1888 at the historic Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg, Russia.
The CSO performed this epic work with fire and intensity. The soaring melodies that are so much a part of the mature Tchaikovsky style were a joy to hear. The outstanding horn soloist in the second movement was Principal Horn, Gordon James, who performed this famous solo with a rich sound and lovely phrasing. And, the unison violin section passages were wonderfully unified and shaped under the leadership of concertmaster Holly Mulcahy, thus providing the perfect platform for projecting a rich sound throughout the theater.
This was a concert that soothed, uplifted and inspired, and it could not have occurred at a better time. With all of the tension in the world these days, experiencing music of this profound beauty served to remind many in the audience of our shared humanity, and reaffirmed the truth that music really is the universal language.
Review author Douglas Hedwig was a trumpeter with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra in New York City for 27 years and also was on the faculty of The Juilliard School. He is Professor Emeritus of Music at The City University of New York and his compositions are published by Carl Fischer Music and TNR Music Publishers. He and his wife, Mimi Jones Hedwig, moved to Chattanooga in 2013.