On Friday, October 4, at 8:00 p.m., the Detroit Symphony Orchestra marked the beginning of its 126th season with a special performance featuring world-renowned violinist Gil Shaham.
Orchestra Hall was packed with listeners who were treated to such timeless works as Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Russian Easter Overture,” Bright Sheng’s “Let Fly,” (accompanied by Shaham) and Maurice Ravel’s “Rhapsodie espagnole,” “Pavane for a Dead Princess,” and “Daphnis et Chloé, suite No. 2.” Seven-time Grammy Award-winning Music Director Maestro Leonard Slatkin, took the stage and explained the order of events with confidence — and a dash of humor.
The first piece, “Russian Easter Overture,” is one of only a few well-known arrangements by Rimsky-Korsakov. This was the first time the piece had been performed by the DSO since July 1997. The 14-minute Russian Orthodox anthem included flutes, piccolo, oboes, clarinets, bassoons, horns, trumpets, trombones, tuba, timpani, and various percussion instruments.
The second work of the evening, Sheng’s “Let Fly,” contrasted greatly with the previous piece. The Chinese concerto featured incredibly vibrant sounds. The lyrical melodies of Shaham’s violin were astoundingly technical, while his stage posture reflected his conformable demeanor.
As the second movement of the piece became much more dependent on his angular instrumentation, Shaham’s solo performance produced faster notes and complex progressions. During his brief breaks during the piece, Shaham grinned widely at the crowd, as well as the orchestra behind him.
Hear Maestro Leonard Slatkin’s notes on the DSO’s opening night performance below:
The third movement brought additional solo work from Shaham but was followed by quick outbursts from the supporting orchestra members. The opening melody was eventually revisited, but only just before breaking into a fervent race to the end by Shaham’s part. This specific performance of “Let Fly” was a world premiere.
The night’s Russian and Chinese installments were followed by Ravel’s “Rhapsodie espagnole,” “Pavane for a Dead Princess,” and “Daphnis and Chloe, suite No. 2.” The French pieces included a wide variety of instruments, including a heavy percussion section — bass drum, cymbals, snare drum, timpani, triangle, tambourine, tam-tam, castanets, and a xylophone. The dream-like ‘musical fresco’ began with woodwind arpeggios, continued to incredible harmonies, and eventually receded into darkness.
The evening was met with a final standing ovation as Shaham, Slatkin, and the DSO members stood in appreciation. The performance was recreated that Saturday at 8:00 p.m., and again on Sunday at 3:00 p.m.
Find future DSO performances on the DMM Events page under the search tag “Detroit Symphony Orchestra.”