It would be difficult to convince Renaissance masters with standards as high as art on the Sistine Chapel that as a grand a painting could be rendered without the aid of a brush, canvas or oils. In a concert directed by John DeMain presenting the cellist Ralph Kirshbaum, the Madison Symphony Orchestra proved a more ethereal type of painting could exist that finds its audience through ears, and not eyes.
The auditory painting crafted by the Madison Symphony Orchestra features Ralph Kirshbaum as its focal point. Kirshbaum played with intensity and filled Orchestra Hall with a beautiful choir of sound. His method of effortless playing determined the mood of the symphony. Although the concert showcased Kirshbaum’s success, the other members of the Madison Symphony Orchestra matched his talent.
The interplay between the instruments of the symphony splashed color across our metaphorical canvas. In “Fountains of Rome” by Ottorino Respighi, the violins augmented the clear melody of the oboes, while the flutes and violins provided a particularly vibrant call and answer session. The symphony created a similar call and answer in “Symphony No. 5 in E Minor, Op. 64” by Peter Tchaikovsky. Repetition connected musical elements in various songs. Different sections of the symphony passed the melody of “Schelomo, Hebraic Rhapsody for Cello and Orchestra” by Ernest Bloch, and in “Symphony No. 5” line repetitions united the flutes, clarinets, oboes, and strings.
The orchestra added tints and shades to the painting through tonal and dynamic playing. The bright tone of the flute, especially in “Silent Woods for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 68, No. 5” by Antonin Dvorak, remained clean into the upper register and highlighted the “painting’s” content. While the flutes added light overtones to the melody, the trombones shaded with darker undertones. The control of dynamics provided by sections of the symphony produced a spectrum of sound ranging from subtle to bold. This beautiful progression was especially evident in “Fountains of Rome” where the violins and harps led the symphony to paint a rising wall of support that completely overtook the audience. “Symphony No. 5” represents another example where the symphony masterfully controlled the peaks and troughs of their sound.
Any worthy artist knows that layering depth adds to a painting. MSO layered the individual color of each section from the base to topcoat and imbued each song with an iridescent shimmer. The symphony enjoyed supreme success in their interpretation of “Fountains of Rome” due to the woodwind nuance and intermingling of the piano. Also in Schelomo, the prelude of the violins set a melody for the cellos to expound upon which they did with grace and power.
When Kirshbaum wasn’t leading the musicality, the violins guided the voice of the symphony. In “Fountains of Rome,” the plucking of staccato notes was reminiscent of impressionism. Individual dots of sound that, when combined with other sections, construct an enchanting image. The exposed string pulses served as the heartbeat of the symphony. At times this heartbeat of sound had a rippling effect transforming the entire symphony into an enormous harp. In “Symphony No. 5,” this effect coupled with the more jagged sounds of vigorous string strokes dominated the sound without overpowering it.
Balance was a minimal issue in the concert. In “Fountains of Rome,” at times the trumpets blared and overplayed the rest of the band; however, any brass balance issues were resolve in their mastery of “Symphony No. 5.”
Individuals with the medical condition synaesthesia recognize sounds and words by their color. For a night the Madison Symphony Orchestra, delighted its audience and painted lyrical pictures with individual instruments adding a unique hue to each piece. Any audience would be honored to experience this artistic process.
