Columbus Symphony Orchestra Essay, Research Paper

The Columbus Symphony Orchestra is located in Columbus Ohio. Mother’s Day provided a musical feast for lovers of the choral art. The Columbus Symphony Orchestra and Chorus and members of the Columbus Children’s Choir were led by chorus director Ronald Jenkins in “Music for a Special Day.” The music and performances were very high and enthusiastic, with a full house in attendance at the north campus of First Community. The Orchestra played works by Mozart and John Rutter as the centerpiece of the performance of the day. Engaging smaller pieces began and ended the program. The concert opened with two excerpts from The Peaceable Kingdom, an extended work for unaccompanied double chorus by Randall Thompson. From the first cord played, perfectly- in-tune phrases by the men, it was clear that they would make sure it was indeed a “special day.” The choral sound, tone and balance over a wide dynamic range were flawless, as they continued to be. Ave Maria, was successfully adapted into Latin as part of Rachmaninoff’s Russian Orthodox Vespers. The Mozart Mass in C, K.317, Coronation was a model of how cleanly and sensitively a large chorus can sing such music, created for many fewer musicians. Jenkins focused on the singers, but the Orchestra players needed little guidance to provide superlative accompaniment.

Soprano Melinda Patterson, alto Gwen Carmack, tenor Brian Naille, and baritone Daniel Henrie, was a first-rate quartet. Patterson played a radiant soprano led the way, as Mozart intended. Soprano Nancy Roberts (listed as an alto in the chorus roster) sang the concluding Agnus Dei of the Mass with lovely quality. The text for Rutter’s The Falcon was drawn from the Old and New testaments, ancient chant and a 15th- century poem that provided the falcon imagery. The music is challenging for the singers but is very approachable for listeners. Some 200 musicians, including the children, prepared superbly by Sandra Mathias, were brilliant in this little-known but strong and colorful composition. The final group of four pieces was expertly done and enjoyable, but they were a letdown compared with the rest of the program. Columbus Symphony Orchestra trumpeter Tom Battenberg, was attractive. Two of Copland’s Old American Songs were delightful, but my mind was still hearing Mozart and The Falcon.