Orchestra masters mix of ballet, Beethoven

By Dior Enriquez

LOGOS STAFF WRITER

On a Monday evening, from the stage of the Diane Bennack Concert Hall, flowed the music of recollection and introduction to the world of ballet and Beethoven, delivered beautifully by the Orchestra of the Incarnate Word.

My seat in the center of the auditorium gave me a grand view of the stage, to the rows of impressive instruments and their dedicated musicians. The chaotic overlap of sound coming from their tuning and preparations slowly came to harmonize before suddenly suspending in silence, allowing the lights to dim, my excitement to build, and the concert to begin.

First came the work of the most respected composer himself, Beethoven’s “Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major” (op. 58), with the soloist Ara Koh and conductor Terence Frazor. Alone, Koh drew the audience in with the first simple chords, then passed the turn to the elegant harmonies of the strings, and within the minute the rest of the instruments came in. Thus, the graceful dance between piano and orchestra continued for all three movements, as I sat captivated between the motions of the keys on the piano and the bows of the strings.

After the intermission came the celebrated composer Tchaikovsky, with pieces from

“The Sleeping Beauty” and “Swan Lake.” I will say unabashedly that this was the highest moment of my anticipation for the concert and it did not disappoint. The familiar tune of the “Sleeping Beauty” waltz made a smile appear involuntarily, and a quick glance around showed I was not alone.

The change between the iconic “Swan Lake” and the more Wild West pieces from

Copland’s “Billy The Kid” was definitely noticed, but not with objection. While this ballet was unknown to me, its story was nevertheless conveyed attractively, with my personal favorite consisting of the sounds of gun battle echoing on the walls. My congratulations goes to the members of the orchestra and everyone involved in this production. As the end of the semester loomed near, a night of beautiful music was much appreciated.

E-mail Esquivel at denrique@student. uiwtx.edu