Classical concerts by modernized orchestras typically have a specific audience in mind. However, due to the artists’ high professionalism and international renown, some performances are exceptional and not just for particular audiences. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra, one of the most renowned groups of the modern era, will be evaluating Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony as a concert. The orchestra gave a strong performance under the guidance of the renowned conductor Riccardo Muti, full of vigor and intensity interspersed with somber and melancholy transitions.
It is vital to mention that since Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony is not an opera and is constructed in a canonical form evocative of a church service, all musicians and vocalists are on stage for the concert. The fact that the audience and stage are divided shows a clear intention to distinguish between the performers and listeners and offer extra scrutiny. This choice was made with purpose because the concert reflects the spectacle culture prevalent in American society, and the 130-year-old Chicago Symphony Orchestra is a renowned ensemble. As a result, a polished performance enhanced by an engaging presentation fosters engagement while distancing the modern audience from the classical piece of music’s canonical form.
Allegro ma nontroppo, un poco maestoso was the first piece the orchestra performed, and it included numerous flutes, clarinets, violins, and trumpets in motion. Adagio-style tempo and casualness characterized the music’s initial movement. This movement allowed the listener to hear sounds intensifying as they warmed up into an allegro tempo. The orchestra also demonstrated how the instruments in the song begin to play and change the sound from a calm, subdued tone to a loud, dramatic change. The second piece, Molto Vivace, had a powerful beginning before swiftly switching to a softer section with just the cellos and violins. Clarinets and flutes were gradually added, and eventually, the performance reached what may be called its peak. Since it would rise, then remain in place, progressing into a descent, slowing down again, it had a significant emotional impact on the audience. The violins and cellos were used far more frequently than the other instruments in this performance.
The clarinets served as the primary instrument in the third piece, Adagio molto e cantabile – Andante moderato, until violins were added to support the clarinets as they played the mellower notes. The ensemble was then supplemented with a cello and trumpets to increase the sound’s volume and tempo. The song’s tempo increased significantly near the conclusion, but it ultimately remained stagnant and peaceful throughout, finishing quietly. Ode to Joy served as Beethoven’s 9th Symphony’s climax, and from the opening bars, it was clear that this piece was different from the others because it began aggressively and moved quickly. The violins are added later when the cellos and trumpets are introduced. The cello starts playing solo after all the other instruments have finished playing, establishing a more thrilling composition before the violins, flutes, and drums are added later. The music sounded much more vibrant when the entire orchestra participated and lent life to a piece.
Overall, any of Beethoven’s compositions synthesize moods made possible by a wave structure. The main focus of the Ninth Symphony is on bowed instruments, such as violins and cellos, and wind instruments, such as flutes and clarinets. But in most of Beethoven’s compositions, especially the Ninth Symphony, the employment of timpani and double basses is essential to generating tension. Combining several instruments enables preserving the ascending and descending structure that serves as the piece’s framework and adds to the audience’s emotional impact by developing a range of emotions. As a result, the orchestra quickly changes from serene and lyrical symphony fragments into solemn sections, heightening the tension.
Long-standing ovations were given to the orchestra and the conductor before and after the concert, expressing admiration and recognition. Although it may be challenging for a young child to understand, the Ninth Symphony has been modified for a contemporary performance style, allowing the premise that the intended audience may differ. Beethoven may have expressed his personal feelings through this music, and the listener may tell and hear this. All audience members applauded in unison after the concert due to the orchestra’s energy flowing into the audience through the music. Classical music is not limited by time or culture, and the audience’s response supports the Ninth Symphony’s ongoing importance as a magnificent example of the world’s musical heritage.
In conclusion, due to the wave structure of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, the concert of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra performed left viewers with conflicting emotions. The juxtaposition of bright major and calm minor harmonies produces the impression of being immersed in a dynamic atmosphere by impacting the audience through various emotions. The conductor and the musicians’ professionalism reflect the composer’s brilliance and the enthusiasm that the audience senses. Without a doubt, the live performance of Beethoven’s compositions is more powerful and expressive than the recorded one. Therefore, it is nearly impossible to fully experience the true grandiosity of the composer’s works without hearing them performed live. Without a doubt, the live performance of Beethoven’s compositions is more powerful and expressive than the recorded one. As the tangibility of the word was necessary for the final development of the central notion of the great philosophical system, it was a bold action that was ground-breaking. Beethoven broadened the musical conception intellectually and provided new directions for nineteenth-century symphonists.
Reference
Chicago Symphony Orchestra (2015). Beethoven 9 – Chicago Symphony Orchestra – Riccardo Muti [Video]. YouTube. Web.