History often takes place without a bang. It sometimes takes place with a crescendo. The maiden performance of The Symphony Orchestra of India (SOI) at the J N Tata Auditorium on Sunday (September 9) will go down in the musical history of Bangalore as the first ever performance by the one-year old SOI outside of Mumbai.
The performance significantly began with the rendering of the National Anthem. The violin, viola, cello, double bass, flute and other instruments brought out the subtle nuances of the patriotic melody. Nary a note hither of thither. This is the true test of an accomplished Orchestra.
To warm up for the evening, the SOI began with Pablo de Sarasate Navarra for two violins and orchestra op 33 (Spanish Dance). This 1889 composition is a tribute to the composer’s birthplace in the Navarre region of Spain. The main inspirations for Sarasate’s Navarra are the Spanish gaitas, melodies played on the flageolet, a small instrument with a high, penetrating sound. Sarasate imitates the flageolet in the whistling harmonics, tremolos and high passage work of the two violins, which play together most of the time to amplify their virtuous and demanding passages.
The lively interlude was followed by French composer Jules Massenet’s Meditation for violin and orchestra, from Thais, an opera in three acts to a French libretto. It’s famous and moving Meditation for violin and orchestra, played before a closed curtain between the scenes of Act II, is among the most frequently performed concert pieces and a great favourite of famous violinists.
Charged by both these short classical pieces, the audience was ready for a more elaborate Serge Prokofiev’s Classical Symphony Op 25 with its traditional four movements - Allegro, Larghetto, Gavotta: non troppo allegro and Finale: Molto vivace. The first is conventional in design, aerated in texture and extraordinarily fresh and bracing in effect. Its opening theme is snappy and athletic; the second, defying gravity and logic with its seesawing leaps, is more balletic.
The exquisite theme of the second movement Larghetto floats in unforgettably on stratospheric violins: the intervening episodes are serenade-like in their hopping and strumming. The famous Gavotte (third movement) is characteristic of the composer’s quirky way with a tune. To cap it all, the joyous finale (fourth movement) is a classical essay in the avoidance of minor chords, sometimes delicate, some times cheeky.
Post interval, the proceedings were even better with two longish compositions. The toast of the evening was undoubtedly Michael Collins, one of the leading clarinettist of his generation. He led the Carl maria von Weber’s Clarinet Concerto No 2 in E-flat major Op 74 in three movements - Allegro, Andante con moto and Alla Polacca. Incidentally the clarinet is the youngest of the woodwind instruments forming the elements of the symphony orchestra; it was hardly used by the classical composers of the 18th century.
Among Weber’s compositions for the concert hall, his two clarinet concertos take pride of place and Michael Collins rendered Concerto No 2 with great skill and finesse and was well-appreciated with a standing ovation from the audience.
The evening ended with Mozart’s Symphony No 41 in D Major K V 551 (also known as Jupiter) played as a tribute to the late Dr Jamshed Bhabha, who was instrumental in the creation of the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA). Jupiter’s first movement (Allegro Vivace) immediately established the festive mood. The Andante Cantabile exhibits a poignant expressive changeability. The finale is something of a’ tour-de- force’ even by mozart’s exalted standards.
Marat Bisengalieu, the Music Director of SOI demonstrated great rapport with the orchestra, while he himself played the more elaborate portions. This could just be the beginning of a great musical tradition and in the words of Assistant Conductor Zane Dalal, “they hope to be back again and again.”
