Review: Symphony from the League of American Orchestras
Springfield Symphony Opens Season with Chadwick, Beach, and Beethoven
October 24, 2024
In Wednesday’s (10/23) Boston Musical Intelligencer (Massachusetts), Liane Curtis writes, “After several years of upheaval (including a labor dispute resolved in Spring 2023), the Springfield Symphony opened its new season Saturday night on solid footing. Mei-Ann Chen, recently named as Artistic Advisor, conducted works of two giants of American music as well as a familiar symphonic staple with super-charged electricity. With its fanfare opening and ricocheting brass outbursts getting everyone’s adrenaline going, George Chadwick’s ‘Jubilee,’ from Symphonic Sketches made for an exhilarating opener…. The now-notorious restrictions of Amy Beach’s marriage in 1885 to Dr. H.H.A. Beach meant that her aspirations as concert pianist were ended and she was limited to only two public performances per year. She re-channeled much of that energy (with the support of her husband) into composition. But in writing her [Piano Concerto in C Minor] … she created a monumental opportunity for her musical ambitions both as a pianist and a composer. She debuted the work herself with the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1900…. Pianist Anne-Marie McDermott … proved herself with virtuosity and musical breadth.” Also on the program was Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5, “and Chen channeled the electricity through to the thrilling end.”
The Springfield Symphony Orchestra in Massachusetts opened its 2024-25 season with Artistic Advisor Mei-Ann Chen (on podium) and pianist Anne-Marie McDermott. Photo courtesy of Springfield Symphony Orchestra.