Concert Report 2

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Oct 30, 2023

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Ethan Varughese Music-110 Report 2 May 13th 2023 Dvorak 9. Sinfonie Concert Report After reading the pre-approved video summary for Dvorak 9. Sinfonie, about it being the first symphony to include African American folk songs despite Dvorak’s Czechoslovakian background. Additionally, this usage of American folk music in this grandeur setting of symphony orchestra influenced other musicians to use American folk songs in a more serious setting. Nonetheless this famous piece from Dvorak, Sinfonie 9 also known as “From the New World” Is performed by Andres Orozco-Estrada, who does an excellent job in guiding the Frankfurt Symphony orchestra. The Frankfurt Symphony orchestra is made up of approximately 50 musicians, all dressed in black and white formal wear, and holding every instrument imaginable. As soon as the lights dimmed, and the stage was set for Orczco-Estrada to begin, one could see the excitement ring through the audience. The first movement, titled Adagio - Allegro Molto opens beautifully with playful sounds coming from the variety of stringed instruments ranging from the violin, viola, and cellos that begin to hook the audience’s attention. Eventually, Orczco-Estrada takes a second to pause for emphasis, and then we hear the strong sound of what I had immediately recognized as the French horn. After seeing the two musicians playing their French horns with their hands inside to alter the sounds, producing a full and metallic sound, I anticipated the orchestra would become more serious. And I was somewhat correct, as the orchestra quickly transitioned from playful flutes and clarinets, which created a sense of fun, to a multitude of fast rhythmic string instruments that invoke adrenaline or excitement. By the end of the first movement, it is clear that the conductor and musicians are skilled in their timing and execution seen through the rapid and contrasting sounds that transitioned flawlessly. While the first movement showed the Frankfurt Symphony's ability to create excitement or thrill

through music, the second movement, titled Largo produced the opposite aesthetic. In other words, movement II Largo created a tranquil atmosphere in the room, through the use of several string and woodwind instruments like the violin and clarinet. While the last movement had me on the edge of my seat at times, this movement has me relaxed into the couch figuratively speaking, as it presents a very soothing sound. You can see the influence of the conductor Estrada in the second movement, guiding the audience slowly, carefully, and masterfully. At the end of the second movement, we hear the warm sound of drums and the peaceful sounds of strings that bring Largo to a close. The third movement of this symphony, titled Scherzo Molto Vivace starts rapidly with the high-pitched sounds of the triangle, combined with a much lower-pitched tone of the cello, which creates a juxtaposing sound that could be straight from a Hollywood film. Nonetheless, we see the high skill level of string instruments in the third movement through their quick, high-pitched sounds that create tension and thrill around the arena. In the last movement, the conductor was very slow and precise, while in this piece we see explosive movements of waving as he guides the fast-paced sounds from the strings and drums. Towards the end of the movement, we see the addition of brass instruments like the trumpet and trombone that add another dimension to the busy sounds of violins. During this movement, I began to understand how cohesive the Frankfurt Symphony is, as the rapid transitions between contrasting sounds were beyond impressive for someone like myself who has never seriously played an instrument. The fourth and final movement, Allegro con Fuoco is the grand finale of this hour-long symphony and it does not disappoint. The finale begins with a sound that has become iconic through its use in the film Jaws. Nonetheless, the low and quick tones of the cellos and violins create feelings of suspense, before the brass sections join in to capitalize on these feelings of tension and excitement. The sounds of the finale are both dark and warm at the same time as the contrasting violin solos combined with the deeper sounds of the drums and cellos create the perfect combination of eerie and exciting. Additionally, this movement captures the theme of

Dvorak 9. Symphony as it highlights the technical abilities of the musicians to seamlessly move between sounds, and the conductor's talents in guiding them. This portion of the symphony is the most exhilarating, as the orchestra does its best to end with a “grand” finale. All in all, the finale is by far the best part of the performance and highlights the significance of this symphony as it applies to contemporary classical music. In summary, Dvorak 9. Sinfonie, performed by the Frankfurt Symphony is an hour-long performance, that has a large variety of sounds, and emotions associated with these sounds. Moreover, each part of the performance shows different strengths of the orchestra and the different ways the conductor can guide them to create complex, layered sounds. The audience enjoyed the performance to the highest extent, as they gave the Frankfurt Symphony a standing ovation for the excellent performance.

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