The organ takes center stage at Symphony Hall
The BSO performs Berlioz, Gandolfi, and Saint-Saëns
Photo Courtesy of Hilary Scott
Week 3: Berlioz’s Grand Overture to Waverley, Michael Gandolfi’s Ascending Light, Saint-Saëns’ Symphony No. 3 in C Minor
Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO)
Conducted by Samy Rachid
Olivier Latry on organ
Boston Symphony Hall
October 12, 2024
The Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) concert on Saturday, October 12, had a special focus on the organ, a keyboard instrument known for its resonant, high-range sounds. BSO Assistant Conductor Samy Rachid led the orchestra, and distinguished organist Olivier Latry was the guest soloist. The repertoire was well-balanced, beginning with Berlioz’s Grand Overture to Waverley, followed by contemporary composer Michael Gandolfi’s Ascending Light, and ending with Saint-Saëns’s iconic Symphony No. 3 (“Organ”).
Although the concert’s theme was the organ, the BSO first performed Berlioz’s Grand Overture to Waverley, a Romantic period piece that follows the traditional orchestral arrangement. The piece began with a slow, romantic melody played in triple meter. The cello’s deep, full sound complemented well with the violin’s breathy sound. When the brass and woodwind instruments took on a more prominent role in the middle, their various textures melded well with the strings to create a colorful soundscape.
The best part of Waverley, however, was the sudden and unexpected transition from larghetto to allegro vivace. In the latter half of the piece, the orchestra’s fast tempo and loud dynamics had this unstoppable energy that felt tangible, especially the violin’s rapid tremolos and the horn’s exuberant notes. Overall, Waverley was a delight to listen to because of the piece’s magnificent transformation, from a graceful melody to a celebratory fanfare.
Next was Gandolfi’s Ascending Light, a work for organ and orchestra that was commissioned by the BSO and premiered in 2015. Ascending Light was composed to honor the late Armenian-American organist Berj Zamkochian and to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide in 1915. Before the performance, Gandolfi was invited to speak briefly about the work. One of Gandolfi’s inspirations for the work was finding pictures of people who lost their lives in the genocide. “I started hearing music that was powerful, not mournful,” Gandolfi said. “[Ascending Light] is an affirmation of life.”
Ascending Light opened with “Vis Vitalis,” a movement memorable for its rich, bright sounds from the organ and percussion instruments, which created a grand and momentous atmosphere. The wide array of sounds was somewhat overstimulating at first, but also was exciting to listen to because of the diverse timbres, from the silky sounds of the strings to the flute’s high-pitch trills.
The movement later transitioned to an organ solo. The organ solo was akin to a piano solo, though the organ’s reedy timbre sometimes made the notes sound mellow and obscured instead of achieving a crisp, clear sound. Despite this, the organ shone for its loud, brassy chords at the end because they returned to the movement’s theme that the world is filled with energy radiating from everywhere.
Following “Vis Vitalis” was the second movement that underwent a significant journey from an Armenian lullaby (“Lullaby of Tigranakert”) to the coda theme (“Ascending Light”). In the lullaby, the lone notes in the organ solo conveyed feelings of solemnness, which provided the audience a period of contemplation after an energetic first movement. Over the course of the second movement, the momentum in the piece builds up again, starting with the wispy drone in the strings that were like shimmers of light, signaling hope for a brighter future. The piece then reached a climax reflective of the opening in “Vis Vitalis” packed with optimism and resilience.
The main highlight of the concert was Saint-Saëns’ Symphony No. 3 in C Minor, also known as the “Organ Symphony.” The beginning of the piece was interesting because the major contrast between the peaceful and stormy melodies gave rise to this underlying conflict. The forceful bowings and the fast sixteenth notes in the violin cultivated an image of a brewing storm, but then entered a period of calmness from the woodwinds’ chirp-like sounds and the cello’s light pizzicatos.
When Latry played the organ, the vibrant sounds helped highlight main notes in the orchestra’s melody. Latry’s performance was splendid because the long, sustained organ chords reverberated without being overwhelming. The organ was icing on the cake, providing an additional layer of sound that blended well with the rest of the orchestra.
Towards the middle of the symphony (Allegro moderato), the action-packed music sounded like the buzzing of bees and became more dramatic in Presto. It was impressive to see the strings play the same melody faster than the one in Allegro moderato, and the quick tempo built up to this heightened tension of a race against time. This sense of urgency was evident in the rapid call and response with the woodwinds and the violin, as well as the short, piercing notes from the trumpet.
The best part of the piece was the last movement (Allegro), where the organ took center stage. When Latry played the opening line, the organ’s C major chords were like a sudden, intense penetration of the sun’s rays because of their joyous and festive sound. Then, the piano and strings played a wonderful duet, as the piano’s crystal clear glissando perfectly intertwined with the violin’s sweet, ethereal sound. The finale was engaging because it took on many twists and turns that were a bundle of surprises, from the change in keys to the change in dynamics. The cinematic movement ended with jubilant tunes from the brass and the organ’s powerful chords that filled the entire concert hall with a ringing sound.
Right after the orchestra finished playing, people in the audience gave a warm round of applause and a standing ovation. Overall, the concert was unforgettable as the organ’s glorious sounds enhanced the listening experience. As someone who is used to piano solos in symphonic music, the organ’s grandeur left a strong impression on me.