I attended a concert titled “That Magnificent Mozart” by the Everett Philharmonic Orchestra at the Everett Civic Auditorium. The concert was held on February 06, 2022, and was led by Dr. Paul-Elliot Cobbs and other conductors, namely Michelle Rockwood, Tonya Harris, and Ryan Christopher. Due to the continued risks of Covid-19, the members of the orchestra and the audience wore masks and kept the required distance from one another. The concert featured very few vocals because most of the songs were played on instruments such as violin, French horn, trombone, keyboard, harp, and others. Some of the performances during the concert included Overture to the Abduction from the Seraglio, the horn concerto, and symphony no. 29 (Everett Philharmonic Orchestra, 2022). The first song was very fast, and a narrator explained it originated from Turkey. The horn players, who are typically known for sitting at the back, were brought to the front and were some of the main attractions in the concert. Another interesting song played at the concert is symphony number twenty-nine.
The genre of the music played at the concert is western classical music and opera, with symphony no. 29 being my best performance. This song featured muted and refined strings movements, double-dotted harmony, and a rich harmonic. Its melody was slow, relaxing, and soft. However, despite its melody, complex ornamental figures, and transcendence beyond any words, it conjured a feeling of sadness in me. Additionally, I was delighted to hear the French horn being played live. In previous concerts, the French horn is usually in the background, but it was brought to the front in this concert. Hearing the French horn take center stage and other instruments following its magnificent sound was magical. Despite being on stage for approximately 25 percent of the time, the two women with the horns did a marvelous job and delivered a performance for the books.
In addition, the music played in the concert represented the eighteenth and nineteenth-century historical era. For example, the first song played in the concert originated from Turkey during the rise of the Ottoman empire as it fought with European empires for domination of the European continent. Other songs, such as symphony no. 29, also originated from that era. The performers were mostly youthful, while the conductors were middle-aged or significantly older. Further, the performers were mixed between men and women, with each one of them playing a unique instrument that enriched the concert and contributed to its success. For the most part, the audience remained silent during the performances and only applauded when the performance was over. Given this type of reaction, there was little evidence to judge which performances excited the audience and which performances the audience was not so delighted to hear.
As noted, the largest part of the concert was conducted by performers playing instruments. A conductor with a baton sat at the center of the group and coordinated the music. Interaction between the orchestra members was limited as each concentrated on playing their instruments and following the conductor’s instructions. One element of a concert that was not present is dancing because the audience sat and listened intently while the orchestra sat and played the instruments. Overall, the concert was a welcome reminder of the never-aging and marvelous western classical music and opera.
Reference
Everett Philharmonic Orchestra. (2022). That magnificent Mozart! YouTube. Web.