Jeremy Constant

CONSTANT BEAUTY AT MARIN SYMPHONY

A stormy night did not seem to deter an enthusiastic Marin County audience March 1 from attending the fourth concert of the Marin Symphony 2008-2009 season. Marin’s Civic Auditorium was nearly filled to capacity to hear the Orchestra’s own concertmaster, violinist Jeremy Constant, and Marin’s Symphony Chorus perform works by the English composer, Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958), and Georges Bizet’s (1838-1875) Symphony No. 1 in C Major.

The Lark Ascending, composed before World War I and based on lines by British poet George Meredith, was superbly performed by Mr. Constant on his 1700 Stradivarius. This work is a stunning and beautiful poem of musical imagery. After the orchestra’s brief introduction, Mr. Constant’s solo entrance began a five-note theme that instantly depicted the gracious bird soaring higher to the heavens. Mr. Constant’s performance was breathtaking and the audience seemed to be captivated with every note. This work is lyrical and often nostalgic, and Mr. Constant’s unforgettable performance set the tone for another memorable evening with the Marin Symphony. A standing ovation for Mr. Constant was certainly deserved.

Juxtaposed to the resounding “Lark” was a performance of the composer’s powerful Dona Nobis Pacem (Give Us Peace), sung by the Symphony Chorus under the direction of Stephen McKersie, and accompanied by the orchestra. This is a reflective and thought-provoking statement to the horrors of war. Composed in 1936, it was the composer’s plea (and warning of wars to come) for peace after his own horrific experiences during World War I. Inspired by Walt Whitman’s poetry and selected Biblical passages, Dona Nobis Pacem is sung in six movements and performed without a break. Solo sections connect the six movement’s passionate entreaties for concord, and were hauntingly sung by soprano Helen Zindarsian and baritone Matt Trevino. Although written in English, the lyrics were projected on a screen behind the orchestra so the audience could easily understand the plaintive poetry and literary message of the composer. It was a welcome addition, giving the entire listening experience even more impact.

In keeping with the Symphony’s homage to music written for the dance, the concluding work was Bizet’s effervescent Symphony. Composed in 1855 when Bizet was seventeen and a student at the Paris Conservatory, it was lost and forgotten until 1933, when it was discovered and finally premiered two years later. It has been in a standard in the orchestral repertoire since that time, and in 1947 choreographer George Balanchine created a version for the New York City Ballet Company. The Marin Symphony, under the baton of Alasdair Neale, presented a praiseworthy and commendable performance, with special kudos to the Principal Oboist, Margot Golding, for her expressive and chaste playing of the main theme in the second movement. The Orchestra played well all evening, the elegance of the strings and section balances superb.