Reviews

Mahler's Fourth Symphony Side-by-Side
Kathryn Kelly, soprano
April 16, 2024. Sandler Center, Virginia Beach
Review by John Campbell

Virginia Symphony Orchestra Conductor Eric Jacobson conducted an orchestra that included instrumentalists from the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, Old Dominion University Symphony Orchestra and the Governor's School for the Arts Symphony Orchestra. In a one-hour performance we heard Gustav Mahler (1860-1911) Symphony No. 4 without pause. The symphony's fourth movement includes a musical setting of a poem Das Himmlische Leben (The Heavenly Life) from Das Knaben Wunderhorn (The Young Boy's Magic Horn). The three earlier movements were designed around this long and joyful folk song, sung in the fourth.

The light mood of this fourth symphony is in contrast to Mahler's three earlier symphonies. It is more refined and subtle in expression and techniques and lacking barnstorming climaxes and extremes of emotion. Mahler expressed beauty through nature with sleigh bells and bird calls through his flirtatious melody. He uses all the instrumental voices in chamber-like statements woven together with full orchestral sections, always creating something new and enticing, like a delicate dance on a perfect spring day.

The two themes in the first movement are pure lyricism, like Schubert with spontaneity. The first theme is heard on violins. The second, preceded by a horn call, is given to cellos. The orchestration begins simply and moves into more complexity. Sometimes it sounds impressionistic when over the piccolo and bases the flute plays a serene melody. Then the melody develops in a dissonant fashion with high notes in clarinets that are answered by muted trumpets and cymbals.

The second movement opens with a horn call followed by an eerie tune in the violin like a village fiddler heard at a distance. The middle trio is in a merry mood. In the third movement we get a broad, stately theme in low strings.

In the fourth movement there were moments of urgency by the full orchestra that were soon replaced by the overall joy expressed in the song text found in the program booklet. It is a playful take on heavenly pleasures. Without tumult there is dancing even though the little lambs "go to the butcher Herod." Wine, good vegetables, apples, pears and grapes are there with deer and rabbits and on fasting days the fish swim up to us with joy. Saint Peter catches them and Saint Martha is the cook. Whimsical! Cecilia and her relatives are court musicians and angelic voices bring joy.

The bows at the end included the three conductors: Amanda Gates, GSA; Paul Sanho Kim, ODU; Eric Jacobs, VSO; as well as singer Kathryn Kelly of voluptuous voice and sweet, sunny disposition.

In this most important community outreach program titled a "Side-by-Side" concert, the students of GSA and ODU had the thrilling experience of one-on-one contact with professional players on their chosen instrument. The Ludwig Diehn Fund at ODU made possible the use of the acoustically excellent Sandler venue. The program booklet's cover was four vividly colorful portraits of Gustav Mahler in the style of Andy Warhol's famous lithograph of Marilyn Monroe. Who could ask for more?