Enriching our sense for the symphonic
MANILA, Philippines - American music took center stage in the second concert of the Manila Symphony Orchestra’s concert season held recently at the St. Cecilia’s Hall of the St. Scholastica’s College. Without doubt, the Manila Symphony Orchestra is making its presence felt with its intelligent programming and inspired playing of its musicians under the baton of its conductor, Prof. Arturo Molina who has provided the hallmark of collective commitment for excellent symphonic rendition.
Its opening concert for the season was in itself a feat, aptly titled “Facets of Classicism” that featured phenomenal pianist Lydia Artymiw, a Leeds and Leventritt competition winner who is the chair of the piano department of the University of Minnesota School of Music.
Watching the concert is made more interesting with the notes that serve as a workable framework for understanding and appreciating the program written by Prof. Molina who is also the orchestra’s artistic director on top of his being the conductor. “Musica Americana” is dedicated to the symphonic works written by American composers, which have greatly contributed to the expanding literature of the symphonic literature. Prof. Molina’s notes invite the listeners to frolic with the Leonard Bernstein’s Candide Overture; tour Grofe’s Grand Canyon; be mystified by Samuel Barber’s Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 14, and cross the border down South with Aaron Copland’s El Salon Mexico.
Indeed, listening was truly rewarding. It perks up and refreshes the otherwise humid summer with pure symphonic delight. At once, the orchestra ensured the listener’s attention with its arresting rendition of Bernstein’s overture, full and energetic. Arresting colors were etched in Grofe’s work to achieve a picturesque depiction of the Grand Canyon, from sunrise to sunset, including the traveling burro and the concluding cloudburst. Copland was brought to fresh life with a throbbing rhythmic grace, and handsome development of thematic idea assigned to each instrument — all done with expressive wit.
Watching MSO’s young musicians play with unaffected, zestful charm that oozed with convincing dynamism is enough reason for the orchestra to survive, despite its hand-to-mouth existence, so to speak. Yes, this orchestra plays without that much funding to defray its expenses. The musicians scrounge the bottom of the barrel to get whatever they can for their needs; much more their allowances that they so personally defray until a more opportune moment comes for them to share among themselves whatever there is to share. Against this they continue to play, and gradually build up the orchestra’s image to get all the attention and support it can muster for its continued existence, all for the admirable cause of enriching the symphonic scene of the country.
Of course the highlight of the evening was Barber’s concerto played quite impressively by violinist Jareena Inacay, who is the incumbent principal of the second violin section of the MSO. It was the program’s tour de force, owing to its novel concept and unconventional scoring. Iso Briselli, for whom the work was commissioned upon the behest of Samuel Fels who adopted the former, refused to play it, that the third movement marked presto in moto perpetuo is unplayable. But the concerto is now hailed as a gem. After an interview with Briselli in 1982, Barbara Heyman cited the probable reason why: Briselli, despite his being an excellent violinist was perhaps the musical issue, since his harmonic language did not appeal to him.
Despite the lyricism of the first and second movements that lacked brilliant passagework, the third movement burst into a crackling virtuoso all clothed in a biting harmonic finery, Heyman proposes that perhaps Briselli thought this split a blemish. Finding in fact the third movement “too lightweight,” he proposed that its middle section be expanded and be developed into a sonata-rondo form, which Barber refused to do.
Happily, violinist Inacay met the challenge of playing the concerto, enunciating well the philosophical dictum, “What one cannot hear, one cannot play.” The modern musical idiom will elude the unsophisticated mind, which basks only in intuition to chart, albeit with gusto, consonant language. Inacay sang in the opening bars of the first movement (allegro), and closed it with an inspiring cadenza. She picked up the haunting melody played by the oboe in the second movement singing it expressively until the coda handsomely closes the movement. She played almost non-stop in the third movement, then was cut with a loud ending, as if to say, “Enough!”
On the podium, Prof. Molina stood composed, unwavering as he led both soloist and the musicians to a rapturous rapport. The audience simply was ecstatic, it asked for more for which the orchestra obliged with American film composer John Williams’ soundtrack highlights.
The program was bare of advertisement and listing of donors and sponsors, a telling proof of the orchestra’s scarce support. Virtually it operates on a self-help basis, counting assistance from a few Samaritans. Its time that we music lovers, and good Samaritans give our financial support to the MSO, by simply adding it in our list of humanitarian institutions that get our generous yearly donations. Let us make this happen and enjoy more symphonic music from the MSO.
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For information, call the MSO, 526-80-80 or 0915-979-2659.
