Music filled Sayles Hall as the Brown University Orchestra amazed audiences with a wonderful performance of "Music from the Year 1915." Led by Senior Lecturer in Music Paul Phillips, the orchestra held its third concert of the academic year Friday and Sunday.
Igor Stravinksy's "Chant du Rossignol" opened the concert, followed by Sergei Prokofiev's "Violin Concerto No. 1 in D major, op. 19" with co-concertmaster Catherine Chiu '12 as violin soloist. The last piece, Jean Sibelius' "Symphony No.5 in E flat major, op. 82," perhaps the highlight of the concert, continued the theme of fifth symphonies that was chosen in the beginning of the year.
Phillips said the process of choosing the repertoire is "one of the most challenging parts of the job."
The Stravinsky that opened the concert was a "very challenging piece," Phillips said. But in the short time they had to practice, the members of orchestra had "risen to the challenge."
Bass player Ed Backlund '13 said they could only rehearse five to six hours a week, but added that the concerts "went pretty well given the time we had."
Chiu, who was brilliant during Prokofiev's "Violin Concerto," began studying violin at the age of 10 and won the 2009 Concerto Competition last year, earning her a soloist spot in the concerts. She brought the audience to its feet at the end of her performance, receiving flowers and a thunderous standing ovation.
Sibelius' "Fifth Symphony" was quickly withdrawn after its 1915 premiere in Finland because Sibelius was dissatisfied with the piece. Only in 1919 did he release its final version, performed at the concerts. In the last movement especially, the orchestra demonstrated
Sibelius' signature techniques, including the use of a suspenseful mood, created by changes in dynamics and pace as well as bow strokes such as tremolo — a very fast reiteration of the same note — throughout the piece. The powerful and moving composition resulted in shouts for encores.
The year's concerts will conclude on April 30 and May 2 with the "Season Finale," completing the theme with Beethoven's "Fifth Symphony."
