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In the News

Philadelphia Orchestra continues Bravo! Vail residency with performances of works by Holst, Copland and EsmailNew Article

Marin Alsop conducted the ensemble through performances of "The Planets," "Appalachian Spring" suite and "RE|Member."
July 7, 2024

The Philadelphia Orchestra wove together national, global and even intergalactic themes at Saturday’s Bravo! Vail orchestral series concert. Marin Alsop conducted the ensemble in residence through Reena Esmail’s “RE|Member,” Aaron Copland’s “Appalachian Spring” and finished with Gustav Holst’s “The Planets.”

Originally envisioned as a season-opening piece for the Seattle Symphony in 2020, Esmail’s 7-minute work took on new meaning with the arrival of COVID-19.

“Now, the piece charts the return to a world forever changed,” she stated at its premiere a year later. “I wanted this piece to honor the experience of coming back together, infused with the wisdom of time apart.”

From the opening and closing solos by principal oboe Philippe Tondre — positioned near the back of the packed Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater — the Philadelphia Orchestra masterfully incorporated Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro” and Bernstein’s “Candide,” the two works Esmail used as guides for her overture. Under Alsop’s expert guidance, the animated melodies hearkened back to one another throughout the piece, through moments of intimacy and breathless excitement.

While the opener reminded listeners of ramifications brought on by the relatively recent global pandemic, Alsop used Copland to turn the clock farther back to a distinctly American sound of old.

The strings’ misty triads, supported by pastoral phrases from the winds, set the scene of spring in the Pennsylvanian hillside. The ensemble’s tight unison playing was on display throughout the night. The strings harnessed full-group power to exaggerate the second allegro section’s sudden burst of energy. In the folksy fourth, synchronized bows evoked images of square dances and country fiddlers.

Though Alsop doesn’t weld as animated a baton as the group’s music and artistic director Yannick Nézet-Séguin, her equally intense direction captured the sense of adventure at the heart of Copland’s American sound. The primary manifestation of this shared spirit comes forth in the ballet’s auditory depiction of a hopeful and humble bride and her farmer husband.

The famous themes and variations on a Shaker melody — passed from the innocent clarinet through the rest of the woodwinds, to the luscious full-bodied violas and onto the trumpets, who reinterpreted the hymn in a brave fanfare — underscored the couple’s religious dependence and fierce independence in embracing their future. Then, the serenity of the closing chorale with its muted strings, reminiscent of the opening motif, left the two quiet and strong in their new house.

In its finale, the Philadelphia Orchestra, one of America’s “Big Five orchestras,” accomplished what John Williams did for Star Wars — minus the motion picture. The haunting timpani ostinato and growling low brass held listeners with a rattling theme capable of intimidating Darth Vader himself. “Mars, The Bringer of War,” was juxtaposed by a warm French horn solo to open “Venus, the Bringer of Peace.”

The tranquil touch of the bells, coupled with concertmaster David Kim’s violin solo — which was beautifully matched in style and character by the rest of the strings who followed his entrance — exemplified the ensemble’s emotive style and crisp unity under Alsop’s leadership. “Mercury” highlighted the group’s precision as thrilling runs were quickly passed, crescendoing into inevitable flight at the brass’ entrance. Alsop’s group captured each planet’s character with immediacy, a trait which gives Holst’s suite its trademark accessibility.

An audience of all ages, sprawled to the top of the mountain venue’s grassy hillside, remained enraptured as the jubilant themes of “Jupiter, the bringer of Jollity” rang forth. The French horn solo and ensuring heroic brass fanfare, two of the most enjoyable brass excerpts in the classical repertoire, were rivaled only by the warm string serenade that followed.

This movement — especially the middle anthem — was played so beautifully that if it had been the only piece on the program, it would have been worth the price of admission.

With “Saturn, The Bringer of Old Age,” the music bridged from earthly things to the spiritual realm of Uranus’ magic and Neptune’s mysticism. As the evening closed, thanks to another stellar performance by the men and women in white tuxedos, the shared connection between home, nation, world — and beyond — seemed closer than before.

Read the full article at VailDaily.com