Photograph by Scott Ferguson
A symphony orchestra is about much more than music—although the music alone provides more than enough justification to hallow the existence of any capable performing ensemble. But our orchestras reflect back to us our past, present and possible futures; they illustrate our history and geography, and showcase our diversity.
"Bloggers' Night" is becoming an annual tradition at the St. Louis Symphony. This season, at concerts presented on March 18 and 19, we were treated to an evening of Liszt, Beethoven, Gyorgy Ligeti and Richard Strauss, the latter two having been made (more) famous by Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey (or...could it have been the other way around?).
Rather than focusing on the quality and interpretation of the performance, I found myself musing on the ability of the music to teach, to open windows onto our world. Too many of us today have not experienced the power and spiritual energy of a symphony orchestra. Today many fine marching bands and vocal ensembles proliferate in our educational institutions, and, to be fair, no small number of fine orchestras. But how many of our young people are really taught the history of great music, and how the orchestra provided the backbone for so much of our finest music?
There is much to learn at a symphony concert. At this one, listeners might have noted that orchestras grew in size over time: Beethoven's (1770-1827) orchestra was smaller than Liszt's (1811-1886), which was in turn slightly smaller than that of Strauss (1864-1949). A thoughtful listener might have wondered about the forces that led to such growth, which might stimulate study of the societal conditions of the 19th century, such as the push for democracy in Western nations and greater interest in technology and art by society at large.
Classical music can also be a bridge to discovering our diversity. Although Richard Strauss was a product of Western culture, a listener who delves into the sources for his epic tone poem Also Sprach Zarathustra might learn that, long before our common era, a great spiritual teacher emerged in ancient Persia, Zarathustra (Zoroaster), who preached a system of morality and personal responsibility, and who advocated an early form of monotheism. Some 3,000 years later (the dates are inexact), this same Zarathustra provided the impetus for a philosopher—Nietzsche—to dream of the possibilities of human evolution. Drifting forward, we might ask if a twisted interpretation of Nietzsche's ideas may have contributed to the horrors of Nazism, which, tragically, rose to power within Strauss' lifetime.
The music of Ligeti (1923-2006) forms an exercise in creative thinking outside the box. Traditional music, whether classical or popular, is based on melody and the rhythms and harmonies that support it. Ligeti sought to construct music in which the thickness and coloration (timbres) of the sounds become the principal element. When we were children, we all explored the sounds of the world about us; Ligeti asks us to explore combinations of sounds that we had not imagined coming from an orchestra.
The lessons to be learned from music can go on and on, particularly if they motivate us to study further on our own. (Program notes surely help!) There is also the lesson learned fro simply watching the beauty of musicians applying their skills; they show us what a human being is capable of. A symphony orchestra is a community of doers, actively engaged, who also function as teachers. Through the demonstration of their craft, thereby bringing creativity to life, they form an unparalleled educational resource, and should be recognized and supported as such.
Gary Scott blogs about music, education and life in general at scottmind.blogspot.com.
