The Alternative Press

 

Orchestral music has often gone hand in hand with the virtue of patriotism. The pieces performed in this concert include some of our culture’s greatest celebrations of nationalism.

 

Hailing from Norway, Edvard Grieg used Nordic folklore and expanded it in such a way that made his music accessible to all. Virtually everyone has heard of his “In the Hall of the Mountain King”, even if they did not know its origins. Grieg’s “In Autumn” brings the spirit of an autumn storm roaring through the concert hall. The sweep and flow with which the autumn’s wild, melancholy and changing moods rush by, expressed in sound, creates an illusion for us all.

 

Antonin Dvorak crossed boundaries and cultures from Bohemia to America at the dawn of the 20th century. He was truly an international composer. His music, especially Symphony No. 9 From the New World, incorporates elements that celebrate the spirit of nationalism, pay homage to the past, and look forward to the future. His Symphony No. 9 is his everlasting dedication to America. While it incorporates elements of Bohemia, he was also inspired by American folk tunes, as well as African and American Indian melodies. It is truly an American story told through music.

 

Aaron Copland was an American composer, writer, teacher and conductor born in Brooklyn. He was instrumental in forging a distinctly American style of composition. “Rodeo” was originally a ballet that premiered in 1942. Most of Copland’s work incorporates American folk tunes, however “Rodeo” is unique in that in leaves them quite intact and recognizable. Most listeners will familiar with his melodies. While the other pieces on the program are of high emotion and intensity, “Rodeo” contrasts them as a grand fanfare and energetic dance.

 

The Livingston Symphony has been a part of our community for over fifty years. The orchestra has accompanied the Pope’s Diocesan Choir of Rome, and has performed in venues ranging from the Morristown Community Theatre to the St. Patrick’s Cathedral in NYC. Livingston Symphony Orchestra is committed to bringing a performance of high caliber musicians from NJ and world-renowned works of music to our community and beyond.

 

This concert is open to guests of all ages. Join the Livingston Symphony Orchestra for their Great Nationalist Composers Concert on Saturday November 3, 2012 at 7:30pm in the auditorium of Livingston High School, Livingston New Jersey. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at the door. For seniors and students, $10. Children under 12 are free.