Paducah Symphony Concert Review: Mahler’s 1st “Titan” plus a Händel Concerto Grosso, and Haydn’s #13th Symphony. A concert of elegant variety.

Raffaele Livio Ponti, conductor
The Carson Center for the Performing Arts

Concerto grosso in B Minor, Op. 6 No. 12, HWV 330:
George Friedrich Handel

Soloists

Ching-Yi Lin, violin
Emily Hanna Crane, violin
Paul Zmick, cello

I. Largo
II. Allegro
III. Larghetto
IV Largo
V. Allegro. Largo

**Movement from a Bach Brandenburg Concerto with Members of the Youth Symphony**

Symphony No. 13 in D Major, Hob. 1/13:
Franz Joseph Haydn

I. Allegro molto
II. Adagio cantabile
II. Adagio cantabile
III. Menuet & Trio
IV. Finale

Symphony No. 1 in D Major “Titan”:
Gustav Mahler

I. Langsam. Schleppend
II. Kräftig bewegt, doch nicht zu schnell
III. Feierlich und gemessen, ohne zu schleppen
IV. Stürmisch bewegt – Energisch

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When one thinks of Kentucky, classical music, opera, and orchestras are not usually the first things that come to mind. Yet since the beginning of the year, I have been quite busy trying to keep up with what is happening across the state. It is even more of a challenge to attend one concert a week. Still, I can say with certainty: it is worth it.

This past weekend’s visit to hear the Paducah Symphony at the Carson Center for the Performing Arts was well worth the 2½-hour trip. In fact, I realized that I did not take full advantage of everything the area has to offer, and that was a mistake. If you are planning a trip to hear a symphony in Paducah, I suggest arriving early. Stroll the streets of downtown, take time to view the murals along the River Wall, contemplate life along the banks of the Ohio River, and enjoy a meal at one of the excellent restaurants in town before the concert.

Afterward, enjoy a post-concert drink at one of the local establishments. If you are traveling from out of town, stay overnight at one of the downtown hotels—or take the easy 30-minute drive to Kentucky Dam Village Resort and wake up the next morning to a beautiful view of Kentucky Lake.

Part of fully enjoying a symphony concert is simply arriving rested and ready to listen. You want to be able to focus on the sounds you are about to hear, so avoid overeating or anything too “relaxing” before the performance.

The program itself was thoughtfully constructed. The opening Händel Concerto Grosso featured the full string orchestra, with the piano serving as the continuo, creating a lush, resonant sound for a Baroque work. I must admit that I am not particularly attached to strict “performance practice” in Baroque music. My feeling has always been that composers of that era would likely have welcomed the fuller sonorities that modern orchestras can produce.

Before the Haydn symphony, conductor Raffaele Livio Ponti invited members of the Youth Orchestra to join the ensemble, taking the inside chairs of each section to perform a movement from a Brandenburg Concerto by J. S. Bach. The audience clearly loved the idea, and I must admit it gave me goosebumps. It was a wonderful way to remind us that the future of this music is already on the stage.

Haydn’s Symphony No. 13 served as a delightful close to the first half of the program, preparing the audience for what was to come after intermission.

Following the pause, the orchestra filled the stage for Mahler’s Symphony No. 1, the famous “Titan.” I will admit that the roughly hour-long duration gave me some concern at first. As it turned out, there was no reason to worry.

A concerto grosso is essentially a concerto featuring multiple soloists rather than a single one, and this performance presented three excellent virtuosi.

Dr. Ching-Yi Lin, violin, produced a tone that was round, vibrant, and beautifully projected into the hall. As Concertmaster, she carries the dual responsibility of representing the conductor to the orchestra and the orchestra to the conductor. This is accomplished not through words, but through musical leadership—and Dr. Lin demonstrated that leadership with both elegance and authority. In a concert hall, the violin takes on an added resonance, reaching the listener with warmth and sweetness. From such beautiful playing, one only wishes to hear more.

Dr. Emily Hanna Crane, violin, complemented Dr. Lin perfectly. Their musical lines moved in and out of the orchestral texture with ease and clarity.

Cellist Paul Zmick provided a rich foundation beneath the violins and was prominently featured in the second movement of the Haydn Symphony. Maestro Ponti referred to this movement as essentially a “concerto for cello,” and one can understand why. I am not sure I have ever heard more beautiful writing for cello and orchestra in this context, and it was played gorgeously.

The overall sound of the Händel was simply magnificent. There is something uniquely satisfying about the sound of a string orchestra. It is not encountered often enough, and I found myself savoring every phrase like a fine wine for the ears—velvety, lush, and deeply expressive, even within the elegance of Baroque style.

Haydn’s Symphony No. 13 is a delightful work. The thing about Haydn’s music is that, compared to the entangled complexity of Baroque music and the rush of epic emotional Romantic music, it is seemingly simple and almost childlike. Haydn’s music reflects the prevailing mood of the day by embodying a reasoned construction and common musical logic of the everyday public, hidden within a framework of logical structure.

As the “Father of the Symphony,” his music is ever palatable and can be played in a “pedestrian” way if allowed to ease into that safe comfort zone. The players are charged with bringing it to life.

It is here that the Paducah Symphony created the right kind of energy for Haydn’s 13th. Not too mild, not too wild, and certainly not uncommitted. The orchestra was as musically committed to this piece as it was to the Händel and the Mahler. The result was consummate professional playing of a classical symphony.

Gustav Mahler was never one of my favorite composers…until recently. I thought his music was interesting but a bit depressing. However, that was before I heard it played like it was meant to be heard—LIVE in a real concert hall with a good orchestra. It matters not what stereo you have; there is no way to duplicate the experience of this exquisite composition live. If you see Mahler on a symphonic program, do yourself a favor and GO.

Can you imagine writing your first symphony? I honestly can’t. Can you imagine writing 10, or 20, or 30? Beethoven managed nine in his lifetime. Today, with all of our modern technologies, is anyone that prolific anymore? So to hear a composition of this magnitude, knowing it is the man’s first ever, you have to ask yourself whether you would even have the initiative to complete it. It is an hour long! Talk about “too many notes!” But what notes!

What is in it for the audience? What does the composer “mean”? What is it all about? Titan?

Mahler’s nickname “Titan” comes from Jean Paul’s novel of the same name and reflects the idea of a heroic individual facing great inner and outer struggles, rather than referring to the giants of mythology. So the idea isn’t that power is an overwhelming force, but rather that it is the result of a struggle to endure life’s challenges.

This piece is full of controversial effects. The sounds of nature—bird calls or lions roaring—are set against a graceful Viennese waltz that reminds one of the Danube. There are the rumbles of Wagnerian dread next to the sounds of a sort of Jewish festival music. There are sweeping passages of glorious writing for strings and commanding detail for cellos and basses, set against crashing percussion and the full ranks of brass.

Exquisite solo sections in the winds seem to trade off like a playful game of tag. I get the impression that Mahler had a particular affinity for the solo flute because, in the pieces I have heard so far, there are some stunning flute solos. These are practically the most beautiful and pure essence of sound that exists.

At the end of the day, it was the horn section—here six of them—that was tasked with some very exposed passages at critical moments in the piece. The different mutings and positioning of the instruments produced effects that cause feelings to well up inside you that you never thought you had.

All of this comes together in an hour-long melodrama of music that strangely seemed to end far too soon. Magnificent.

When I am asked about attending a classical concert, I often wonder how to answer. The comments are usually along the lines of “I don’t understand it,” “I don’t like it,” or “It’s just not my thing.” I often find myself asking: What makes this music great?

Well, I think a good portion of it involves growing as listeners. We are not going to “get it” on the first try. It is not like popular music that is finished in three or four minutes and repeats the same ideas. It is not about dancing in the aisles or singing along with the tunes.

It is about allowing yourself to “mind meld” with the music without expecting anything, without waiting for anything, and without worrying about time. Don’t judge it or think about whether you “like” it or not. That is a waste of time.

In a way, it is a kind of Zen exercise. You give your mind over to the sounds of the music and follow along beat for beat as best you can, without letting your thoughts drift off to other concerns in life. I find myself doing that sometimes, and I am trying to stop it. Suddenly, you realize it is the fourth movement and you hardly noticed when the first three passed.

What makes great composers great—Mahler, Beethoven, Mozart, Wagner, Haydn, and Händel?

They are great because they create music that entrances you into a soundscape, carefully planned to rise into an emotional truth so profound that you may find yourself tearing up without quite knowing why. It may not happen every time. It is something like going to the casino. You play and play and play, and then, in the moment you least expect it—Jackpot.

This music is a lot like that. If you ever experience it—and you really can only experience it live when you are fully present with the sound—you are hooked for life.

I believe in this great art form for many reasons. But going to a town like Paducah, witnessing a community’s commitment to the arts in a magnificent building, and hearing an orchestra perform at this level lifts my soul—and it will lift yours as well.

Witnessing this in Nashville, Louisville, Lexington, and Cincinnati so far makes me believe that the desire for truth and for profound experiences with real people in real time will become increasingly popular.

The bottom line is this: all of these concerts have been very well done. I am excited about this project and about bringing insight into this world of music—a world that may become a destination for future pilgrims exploring the vast prairie of sound.

Musiterania Closing

At Musiterania, the purpose is simple: to explore and share the living landscape of classical music wherever it may be found—from the great musical capitals to the towns and cities quietly sustaining this tradition with dedication and pride. If you have the chance to attend a concert in your community, take it. You may discover, as I did in Paducah, that extraordinary musical experiences often appear where you least expect them.