Leonard Turnevicius: Beethoven’s joyful ‘Ninth’ to open the Brott Music Festival
Boris Brott loved Beethoven's Ninth Symphony."
So much so that earlier this year he programmed Beethoven's magnificent masterpiece with its iconic Ode to Joy" choral finale to open the 35th edition of his annual eponymous music festival on Thursday, June 30 at 7:30 p.m. in FirstOntario Concert Hall. Sadly, Brott won't be on the podium for that opening concert. He was killed in a hit-and-run near his downtown Hamilton home on April 5, three weeks after celebrating his 78th birthday.
Boris always said the most joyful work was the one he had either just conducted or about to begin to study," said his widow, Ardyth Brott, executive director of the Brott Music Festival and BrottOpera. He also loved conducting Beethoven's Ninth.' He conducted the Ninth' everywhere he conducted in the world."
And so, the BMF is going full steam ahead to honour and celebrate its late founder. The opening concert, The Unconquerable Soul: A festival in memory of Maestro Boris Brott," will feature BMF interim artistic director Alain Trudel leading the National Academy Orchestra of Canada, soprano Sydney Baedke, mezzo Simona Genga, tenor Scott Rumble, baritone Gregory Dahl, Alexander Cann's 50-voice Bach Elgar Choir plus an additional 25 professional choristers in Beethoven's Ninth Symphony."
It's very fitting that we do something that's joyful to celebrate his memory," said Trudel.
Substituting a work such as Mozart's or Verdi's Requiem" for Beethoven's joyous colossus was never a consideration. To do so would have only cast a funereal pall over the proceedings.
He would have been so disappointed if we'd have done that," said Trudel about Brott. I don't think he would have been at ease with having a big kind of Requiem' thing."
The concert will open with Louis Applebaum's Place Setting," a brief work designed as the first formal piece heard at the inauguration of the Great Hall in Hamilton Place, now FirstOntario Concert Hall, on Sept. 22, 1973, Brott conducting the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra on that momentous occasion.
Boris conducted the first notes of music in Hamilton Place - the Applebaum Place Setting,'" said Ardyth Brott. I remember how thrilled he was to open the hall. Everyone came from far and wide to be a part of this opening. I was sitting in the middle of the hall with my parents. We were all thrilled. It's a stunning piece and he so wanted to do it again this year."
The work begins with only the cellos, double basses and percussion on stage. The concertmaster then walks on while playing the work's main motif. The other orchestral groups enter in turn and stand, save for a brass quintet that is instructed to play from the balcony and then beside or behind the orchestra. After the orchestra has assembled on stage, the conductor makes a grand entrance, and in due time, motions for the audience to rise for O Canada" which concludes the work.
It's like a gathering," said Trudel of the Applebaum. You discover the sound of the hall. You discover the sound of the orchestra. It was also written at the time where they were putting the Canadian Brass together. So, there's a big part for brass quintet. Of course, it's a tribute to Boris. He was very instrumental in that."
To follow the Applebaum blast from the past, the Montreal-based Trudel has programmed Citius, altius, fortius!" an energetic overture, inspired by the Olympic motto faster, higher, stronger," by Maxime Goulet, a Montreal-based composer of whom the Montreal-born Brott was a big fan.
I wanted to do something by Maxime because he was so close to Boris," said Trudel. It's a short piece. With the (65-minute) Beethoven Ninth,' you don't want to overload the program."
Like the Beethoven and the Applebaum, Goulet's 2008 overture was also a work which Brott knew well. He and his NAO performed it as part of a potpourri of pieces stitched together by Hamilton's Stephane Potvin and heard in conjunction with the fireworks display during the Canada 150 celebrations at Bayfront Park in 2017.
Tickets at brottmusic.com or by calling 905-525-7664: $59, senior $54, student $25, child 12 and under $10 (HST and fees included).
The Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra has announced that due to illness Gemma New will not be conducting this weekend's concerts. Andrei Feher and Gary Kulesha will deputize for New on June 24 and June 26 respectively.
Leonard Turnevicius writes about classical music for The Hamilton Spectator. leonardturnevicius@gmail.com