Memphis Symphony Orchestra delves into Bach cantatas
Robert Moody on baton as concert series opens at Idlewild
The Memphis Symphony Orchestra starts its 2009-2010 season with familiar and stirring flavors.
Sunday afternoon's opening concert is "Bach at Idlewild," marking the fifth year of the series at Idlewild Presbyterian Church, a popular performing venue for its beautiful sanctuary and acoustics.
Robert Moody returns to conduct the Memphis Symphony Orchestra's "Bach at Idlewild" concert Sunday.
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Joining the orchestra are guest organists James Jones and Kristen Lensch, the Idlewild Adult Choir directed by Dr. Ted Gibboney, and the Memphis Chamber Choir and Memphis Boy Choir, both directed by Geoffrey Ward. Guest conductor of the whole concert is a favorite MSO visitor, Robert Moody.
"This is our fifth year of the series that centers around Bach cantatas," Gibboney says. "Johann Sebastian Bach wrote nearly 300 cantatas and about 200 have survived." A number of these aren't performed much, he says, so there's a wealth of music that will be new to many listeners.
While Bach is at the center of the series, Gibboney says other composers are represented to provide variety.
"This year we're celebrating the renovation of our pipe organ, so we're expanding our literature beyond Bach to have some fun."
The concert begins, in fact, with 20th century composer Samuel Barber's Toccata Festiva featuring soloist Kristen Lensch. The piece was composed in 1960, however, and carries with it Bach's inspiration into a richly textured orchestral piece.
Then follows Bach's Cantata No. 32, Liebster Jesu, mein Verlangen, a dialog between Jesus and the soul, with Idlewild vocalists Valetta Brinson and Laurence Albert. Gibboney says there are beautiful obligato parts performed on oboe by Joey Salvalaggio and violin by MSO concertmaster Susanna Perry Gilmore.
Next up is Poulenc's Concerto for Organ and Orchestra with soloist James Jones. It's yet another 20th century composer at work, with a nod to Bach (and others) but a vigorous, ambitious work that taps into religious and secular inspirations.
The concluding piece is a festive blowout for orchestra and choir. Bach's Cantata No. 31 was meant to celebrate Christ's Resurrection at Easter, but with a title like "The Heavens Laugh! The Earth Rejoices," why limit it to one time of the year? In fact, Gibboney describes it as "the ultimate Christian party piece," and points to challenging trumpet passages as well as the inclusion of the 14-member Memphis Boy Choir in their first appearance at this concert.
Guest conductor Moody is music director for the Winston-Salem (N.C.) Symphony, artistic director for Arizona MusicFest, and music director for the Portland (Maine) Symphony Orchestra. He's a familiar face to MSO audiences, having guest led some of the organization's pops concerts.
The MSO's '09-10 season will be full of guest conductors. Retiring maestro David Loebel is staying on as music director this year but only occasionally will appear on the podium. Three candidates to replace him -- Mei-Ann Chen, assistant conductor of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra; Thomas Wilkins, music director of the Omaha Symphony Orchestra, and Alastair Willis, former associate conductor of the Seattle Symphony -- will appear throughout the year.
"Bach at Idlewild"
The concert is a part of Memphis Symphony Orchestra's Sundays with the Symphony concert series. 4 p.m. Sunday at Idlewild Presbyterian Church, 1750 Union Ave. Tickets $10 at Idlewild (726-4681), or the MSO box office (537-2525).
For more information, go to memphissymphony.org.
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