The Fort Wayne Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by music director Andrew Constantine, presented music by Ralph Vaughan Williams and Peter Tchaikovsky in the Masterworks Series concert at Purdue Fort Wayne on April 5.
For this concert, Constantine divided the violins, placing the first violins (and concertmaster Johanna Bourkova-Morunov) on the left and the second violins on the right). The cellos were just right of the first violins and the violas were to right of the cellos. The basses were on the far lar left.
The concert began with “Dona Nobis Pacem,” a 1936 composition for vocal soloists, chorus, and orchestra by the British composer and conductor Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958). The composer had served in the First World War and knew firsthand the horrors of war, so, as he witnessed the rise of dictators Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler, he wrote a work that warned of the possible dangers lying ahead, while expressing a desire for peace.
Soprano Katie Van Kooten and baritone Benjamin Taylor joined the Fort Wayne Philharmonic Chorus (prepared by Benjamin Rivera). Kooten was left of Constantine and Taylor was right of him. The Chorus was placed in the terrace seating behind the orchestra.
There is a recurring Latin phrase, “Dona nobis pacem,” which translates “Grant us peace.” The cantata begins with a setting of the hymn “Agnus Dei,” which translates “Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, grant us peace.” The soprano soloist leads the singing, soon followed by the chorus. The music is initially very soft with the strings playing with great feeling, with a tragic quality. This performance began with great solemnity and subdued power, followed by angry blasts from the brass players. This is likely a reflection of the horror of war, which Vaughan Williams had personally experienced when he served as a lieutenant in the artillery corps of the British Army during the First World War. The artillery blasts ultimately affected the composer’s hearing, and he became increasingly deaf over the years.
During the first section of the cantata, there are contrasts between soft and poignant music and louder outbursts. It is as if war had interrupted the normal “peace and calm” of everyday living, a concept explored fully in the second section.
The second, third, and fourth movements use poems by the American writer Walt Whitman (1819-1892): “Beat! Beat! Drums!,” “Reconciliation,” and “Dirge for Two Veterans.”
Whitman wrote the first poem as a reflection of the American Civil War; it is used in the second section of the cantata. The words begin with “Beat! Beat! Drums! – Blow bugles blow! Through the windows – through the doors burst like a ruthless force Into the solemn church, and scatter the congregation; Into the school where the scholar is studying.” Everything is interrupted and disrupted by war. The conflict had affected every aspect of life. Vaughan Williams’ music reflects Whitman’s frightening depiction of warfare with strong brass and percussion. The choral contributions were strong and effective. There is a very dramatic and touching orchestral interlude, which was played with beauty by the Philharmonic musicians.
In the third section, the baritone sings “Word over all, beautiful as the sky. Beautiful that war and all its deeds of carnage must in time be utterly lost.” Joined by the chorus, there is the hope of avoiding another great war. The music here is very moving and sad. A particularly touching moment happens when the baritone sings “For my enemy is dead.” The chorus repeats some of the text with Vaughan Williams’ typically heartfelt music. The soprano again sings, “Dona nobis pacem.”
The fourth section, “Dirge for Two Veterans” is a funeral march and it is quite solemn with the orchestra initially playing alone. Constantine kept the performance moving with great feeling. The chorus joined the procession, which became more animated and powerful. It took on majesty and grandeur. The movement ends with a very touching gesture as the chorus sings, “My heart gives you love.”
The fifth section uses a quote from a John Bright speech in which he sought an end to the Crimean War. There are also quotes from the eighth chapter of the Book of Jeremiah. Initially, the baritone sings, “The Angel of Death has been abroad throughout the land.” This is troubling music which strongly reflects on the horror of war, especially when the chorus and soprano again sing, “Dona nobis pacem.”
The sixth section begins with an orchestral interlude, followed by eight Old Testament prophecies and this familiar text from Luke 2:14: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” The words are sung by the baritone and the chorus. The music becomes jubilant and hopeful. There is more percussion during this section. The music ends with great hope and joy. The soprano again sings “Dona nobis pacem” and is joined by the chorus, softly singing unaccompanied. There was a very enthusiastic response from the audience to this very powerful and moving performance.
The cantata was written for the Huddersfield Choral Society’s centennial and it was premiered on October 2, 1936. There is a recording of the composer conducting the music on a BBC broadcast concert on November 13, 1936, and there have been several commercial recordings over the years. Vaughan Williams, as well as his wife and friends, again experienced the horrors of war during the Battle of Britain. His wife was in failing health and they could not leave London, even as the sirens warned of attacks and then the terrible blitz by German aerial forces. Fortunately, Vaughan Williams survived, wrote more great compositions, and married again, late in life, after his first wife died.
While the music of Vaughan Williams’ cantata ends optimistically, Tchaikovsky’s sixth symphony is quite another matter. Cast primarily in B minor, the four-movement symphony was written between February and August of 1893. It was premiered on October 28, 1893, in Saint Petersburg with the composer conducting. Few could have imagined that Tchaikovsky would soon die from cholera (on November 6) after drinking a glass of water during an epidemic.
It is generally believed that the symphony, which was Tchaikovsky’s final completed symphony, (his Opus 74) is an autobiographical work. It begins quite dramatically and eventually becomes quite positive, but the final movement depicts despair and anguish as the composer presumably reflects on his troubled and complicated life. It is likely that Tchaikovsky approved of the symphony’s title, “Pathetique,” which was also given to one of Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Opus 13.
Both Beethoven and Tchaikovsky dealt with “fate” in their lives and works; there is good evidence that Tchaikovsky struggled with depression or melancholy, as it was sometimes called. Tchaikovsky’s brother Modeste suggested the French adjective “pathetique,” for the symphony, which can also mean “pitiable” or “full of sentiment.” However, the Russian title, which was used in the published score, translates “passionate” or “emotional.”
Constantine conducted without a baton, following a custom used by other conductors such another British maestro, Leopold Stokowski. The symphony begins quite slow, sad, softly. There is a prominent bassoon solo. The music is ominous and uncertain. Other winds join the bassoon, followed by the violas and then the cellos. The music slowly becomes more animated and intense. The first violins play the melody, followed by the seconds. Constantine was able to build up the intensity as the music became more agitated, with the brass joining. We then came to the familiar main theme, led by the first violins and cellos. This is one of Tchaikovsky’s most popular themes, along with the love theme in his “Romeo and Juliet.” The violins come together in this heartfelt, lyrical theme. It seems peaceful, especially with the wonderful flute solo.
Then, without warning, there is a strong brass outburst, which is so dramatic and intense. This is very troubling music that seems to become angry or at least disturbed. Constantine brought out all of the intensity and the contrasts as it became frightening and terrifying with Tchaikovsky’s use of the brass against the strings. Then, the music subsides to a more hopeful passage with a repeat of the main theme, which tries to prevail in spite of all of the uncertainty. There still remains great sadness and emotion.
The second movement is marked 5/4. It is an offbeat waltz with great charm and hope. This is a real contrast to the first movement. The cellos provide a very pleasant melody that is taken over by the violins. Tchaikovsky passes the melody to the winds and then back to the violins. There is a shift to a melancholy theme dominated by the violins. There are important contributions from the winds and timpani. The Philharmonic performance had great beauty and sensitivity.
The third movement is an animated march with chattering winds. We had some very fine playing by the Philharmonic’s violins. It had some of the “magical” qualities we hear in some of Tchaikovsky’s ballet scores, perhaps influenced by Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847). This movement gradually builds in intensity. There are showy trumpet fanfares which are echoed by the winds. The second violins provide a unique accent to the music and there are also pizzicato moments. I was impressed with how Constantine built up the orchestra to the triumphal climax as the entire orchestra embraced the march with cymbal crashes. Once again, many in the audience must have thought this was the end of the symphony because there was considerable applause and cheering. Yet the symphony was NOT over.
There is a complete shift to the very sad finale, which could be viewed as an epilogue to all Tchaikovsky had written up to that time. Only one additional work, a one-movement piano concerto based on Tchaikovsky’s sketches for an uncompleted symphony in E-flat, was completed after this symphony, just days before his death.
The slow theme is presented by the strings with some comments by the winds. The music is sad and tragic, while becoming more animated. Tchaikovsky said he didn’t want this to be viewed as a requiem, but there is a clear reference to the Russian mass for the dead. The music actually accelerates to allegro and then subsides to the original, slow, solemn pace as it depicts one who is dying, at least emotionally. The Philharmonic strings played with great emotion and precision. Near the end of the movement, there is an ominous clash of the gong. The brass players take over with great feeling. Then, the music ends with more intense playing by the strings and winds. The cellos give us virtual death beats. Appropriately, the audience was quiet for almost a minute before finally applauding. Constantine acknowledged a number of the key performers in this powerful performance.
For the record, we know that Tchaikovsky had actually been very optimistic when he wrote this symphony. His brother Modest said, “I had not seen him so bright for a long time past.” So, when Tchaikovsky drank water and contracted cholera, it is doubtful that it was a deliberate or suicidal act. More likely, Tchaikovsky was simply careless or forgetful. We will never know.
The Philharmonic’s final Masterworks Series concert of the 2024-25 season is scheduled for May 10, at 7:30 p.m. at Purdue Fort Wayne. Andrew Constantine is set to conduct two works by Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943), his “Symphonic Dances,” Opus 45, and his Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Opus 30, with Garrick Ohlsson as the soloist.