Carmel Symphony Orchestra – Masterworks 4
Unlike the days as a freelancer writing for Arts Indiana, Indianapolis Star, and NUVO, as an independent blogger, I am not restricted by deadlines. That means I can take my time to both savor and process performances I’ve attended. Such is the case with Carmel Symphony Orchestra’s “Masterworks 4” concert I saw on Saturday. The verdict: It was a visceral experience.
Under the baton of its magnetic conductor Janna Hymes, the 67 members of CSO were nearly flawless. They played before a modest crowd of nearly 600 attendees of all ages at the Palladium, inarguably Central Indiana’s, if not the state’s, most spectacular music hall. Hymes’s skill at devising entertaining and inspiring programs was evident once again in this concert, which included Beethoven’s “Leonore Overture No. 3,” “Four Dances from the ballet Estancia” composed by Alberto Ginastera and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Scheherazade.”
Considering the powerlessness, we all feel regarding the devastating Russian invasion of Ukraine, nothing was more moving than hearing the CSO commence the concert with Ukraine’s resplendent national anthem followed by, in a show of solidarity, the U.S. national anthem.
“Leonore” was an opera that received a new overture each time it was revised during Beethoven’s lifetime. For the1805 production, Beethoven revised this piece in “Leonore Overture No. 3,” compelling for setting the tone for the arc of the opera with its grand opulence. Coaxed by the dynamic Hymes, the CSO effectively captured the high drama of Beethoven’s masterpiece.
Ginastera’s fiery “Four Dances from the ballet Estancia” followed as the second part of Act 1. Considered to be one of the 20th century’s most important classical composers, the Argentina-born artist was inspired by gauchos, the native horseman of his country’s plains, in this piece that premiered in 1941. Once again, under Hymes’s vigorous baton, the orchestra’s performance was absolutely thrilling in its interpenetration of Ginastera’s work, which is alternately driving, joyous and melancholic, as it traces an average day of a gaucho on the Pampas.
The showpiece of the concert was Rimsky-Korsakov’s hypnotizing pièce de résistance“ Scheherazade,” which filled Act 2. A symphonic suite composed by the Russian Rimsky-Korsakov in 1888, the popular work is based on “One Thousand One Nights,” also known as “Arabian Nights.” Once again, reflecting an excellence that is a far cry from its all-volunteer roots, the CSO was exceptional, as they conveyed Rimsky- Korsakov’s dazzling and colorful composition, closing the concert with an awe-inspiring finish.
Standing out magnificently was concertmaster Zach DePue, who showed commanding virtuosity during soulful solos in “Sherezade” that nearly brought me to tears.
Prior to the concert, Wayne Dunlap, first principal trumpet of the CSO, which he founded in 1976, received the Range Line Pioneer Award, issued by Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard. Currently made up of both volunteer and professional musicians ranging in age from 22-70, the CSO will officially become totally professional on July 1. CSO’s evolution from its humble beginnings to its current status as a force to be reckoned with as a symphony orchestra was illustrated in Saturday’s concert.
Rather than making the usual comparisons with its neighboring orchestra housed at the Hilbert Circle Theatre, perhaps it’s time the CSO is heralded for its own substantial merits. They include Hymes, possessing star quality, who is transforming the organization into a jewel in the crown of the Central Indiana performing arts scene.
For tickets and information about the Carmel Symphony Orchestra’s 2022-2023 season, visit CarmelSymphony.org.
