The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra launched its 80th concert season with such success that I can only hope the rest of the season is as promising. The extravagantly attired guests stood up and sang as the full orchestra played “The Star-Spangled Banner,” which was a beautiful pairing to the closing, another American classic, “Hoe Down” from Rodeo by Aaron Copland.
It was difficult to avoid the feast for the eyes with a full orchestra holding its shiny brass and varnished wood instruments. The bows danced across the strings in unison during Samuel Barber’s “Overture to The School for Scandal.” The song’s motive was passed around and highlighted both the string and winds section. Part of it seemed to even mimic a waterfall with eccentric trills that were so ornate it was as if one was actually listening to lace.
Leonard Bernstein, a personal favorite, which also seemed to bring the audience back from the solace of Hoagy Carmichael, demanded the audience’s attention. Bernstein, who utilized every ounce of the full orchestra, created a great expose on different types of themes and music in his “Divertimento for Orchestra.”
Every movement makes you want to leap out of your seat and begin clapping, but really that would be a concert foul.
It seems there are always concertgoers that get confused when they are supposed to clap, and many concertgoers just clap because they heard someone else doing so and think that the appropriate time to clap has arrived … but it hasn’t. So, for those who enjoy music and attend concerts, let me clear up once and for all the “clapping controversy.”
Just because there is a pause in a piece doesn’t mean the composition has actually ended and it is time to clap. Often, composers utilize silence as part of their composition (i.e., John Cage). When reading the program, you will often see a Concerto, or in this concert’s case, a Divertimento headline next to the composer’s name. Underneath the title of the piece, you’ll see a subset of pieces (usually indented). Those subtitles make up the entire piece.
When you clap after the first movement, even though it very well may merit clapping, it is as if you are leaving a baseball game after the first inning, reading the last page of a book after the introductio, or eating a food that has yet to be fully cooked. A movement only represents part of the entire piece. So before you jump to your feet and put your hands together wait to hear the song in its entirety and listen to what the composer has to fully say!
Having gotten that cleared up, the featured pianist, Gabriela Montero, was a breath of fresh air. As she approached the grand Steinway in her leggings and boots, she had an air of youth that is often not seen in concert halls. Her youth breathed life into the piano and took her complete time as she made “Rhapsody in Blue” look as easy as “Chopsticks.”
She then spoke to the audience and improvised “Back Home Indiana” after an audience member fulfilled her request of giving her a short melody. It was apparent that she was highly classically trained and has played quite a bit of Bach in her day, for the entire improvisation seemed to be variations of “Back Home Indiana” in Prelude and Fugue format. The audience leapt to its feet –– and rightfully so.
Having ended the concert with Copland’s “Hoe Down,” the Symphony left the entire audience as if it rediscovered the West. The concert was truly a tribute to America and gave everyone such enthusiasm for this concert season.
Bravo!
(You can clap now.)
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by Tory Flynn
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