Since joining the team at Third Coast Review last winter, I have had the privilege of seeing and reviewing several excellent concerts. While 2016 was unpleasant and disappointing in many ways, Chicago’s rich, classical music scene consistently provided comfort and inspiration.
Highlights included Music of the Baroque playing three early, rarely performed Haydn symphonies; Rachel Barton Pine and Matthew Lipman performing in the 10
th anniversary concert of Music Institute of Chicago Academy; Brazilian guitarists the Assad family playing classical and modern music from Brazil and Spain; and Anderson and Roe showing off their innovative performing style and repertoire with the Chicago Sinfonietta. Chicago’s Orion Ensemble and New York’s Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center also gave great performances in 2016. Most recently, Yo-Yo Ma and the Civic Orchestra of Chicago performed Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos and the Windy City Treble Quoire and Windy City Gay Chorus sang in
Don We Now, their annual holiday concert.
The Emerson String Quartet plays a marathon at Ravinia. Photo by Lisa Mazzucco.
Two events were especially memorable. First, in a marathon, three-hour concert at Ravinia in July, the Emerson String Quartet gave an energetic, vibrant, yet nuanced performance of the six quartets that comprise Haydn’s Opus 76. In doing so, the Emersons demonstrated the musical breadth and vision Haydn displayed at the pinnacle of a long, marvelous career. I have never had an opportunity to see all of these great works performed in a single concert, and, in any ordinary year, this concert would have been the year’s best.
But this was no ordinary year. Following three years of careful planning by a group of local musicians led by Augusta Read Thomas, the one-of-a-kind, six-day Ear Taxi Festival showcased the huge breadth and depth of contemporary classical art music in Chicago. The works of 88 Chicago composers were played by 25 ensembles made up of over 350 local musicians. 55 works received world premiere performances. There were also five sound installations around the city, two music marathons, numerous panel discussions, parties, and several opportunities to meet the artists.
There were many excellent performances during the Ear Taxi Festival, but the concert that ended Saturday night, October 8, was one of the best I have ever experienced. It started with Third Coast Percussion performing the world premiere of their new work
Reaction Yield and, joined by the Spektral Quartet, giving the Chicago premiere of Augusta Read Thomas’
Selene (Moon Chariot Rituals), the only octet ever written for percussion and string quartet. This was followed by the Chicago Harp Quartet playing the world premiere of
Plectra, by Carolyn O’Brien. Then, performing on berimbaus, an African-Brazilian instrument, the Arcomusical sextet performed Alexis C. Lamb’s
Apenas Seja and Georg Beyer’s
Berimbau Sextet No. 1.
Capping off this evening was the world premiere of Drew Baker’s
NOX, performed by the All Ear Taxi Festival Musicians. In a darkened Harris Theater, the ensemble members were scattered all over the house, some on-stage, some in the aisles, and others up in the balcony. They were taking directions from conductor Ben Bolter, who, facing the audience from the back of the stage, was the only illuminated person in the whole hall. He started by pointing to the various groupings of musicians, who, beginning with whispers, gradually created a brilliant crescendo that got to ear-splitting levels. As the music intensified, he was wildly swinging his arms, increasing the number of fingers as he pointed around the hall to the scattered musicians.
Augusta Read Thomas. Photo by Anthony Barlich
The music of Baker and the presence of Bolter were so engrossing, when silence was restored, I discovered I had been perspiring and my body had been trembling. There was a sense of total awe. Something totally extraordinary had just taken place, greatness defined, truly one of a kind. The hope is that maybe, just maybe, I will experience something this great once again.
The Ear Taxi Festival was a one-off event, so there won’t a repeat in 2017. But I am confident that Chicago’s classical music scene will be fun and eventful.
