As I debated the title for this blog post, I realized that this was the first time in a while that birthday concertizing did not mean I was the performer. I miss performing, but the time had come, as it does for all, sooner or later.
Anyway, I originally had lots of activity planned for my birthday week. I wasn’t feeling well and so decided to reevaluate the plan. Some things I was able to reschedule without any difficulty. One–a lecture featuring Supreme Court Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson on her newly released book, Lovely One–was such a difficult ticket to get that I had no trouble finding someone to take it. That left two concerts. I’m also grateful that my sister, who was originally going to join me, got a signed copy of the justice’s book for me.
The first concert was the National Symphony Orchestra Echoes of America, under the baton of Eugene Rogers at The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. As the concert title suggested, the program featured works by American composers: Jessie Montgomery, Aaron Copland, and Carlos Simon. I’m glad that orchestras are being intentional in their efforts to perform lesser known or premiering new works along with the war horses.
The featured performer was bass-baritone Morris Robinson, who performed Copland’s Selections from Old American Songs: “Zion’s Walls,” “Simple Gifts,” “At the River,” as well as joining the Washington Chorus for the premiere of Here I Stand: Paul Robeson, with libretto by Dan Harder. Thankfully, whatever was going on with the amplification during the first half of the concert was resolved by the second half. The tribute to Robeson received the musical and textural power and depth it deserved in the performance by Robinson, the chorus and orchestra.
The second concert finally addressed a years-long bucket list entry, a live concert featuring cellist Yo-Yo Ma. It occurred just three days after my b’day in a performance with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. The concert was so worth the effort to get a ticket.
Yo-Yo Ma and the orchestra gave an extraordinary performance. They opened with Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1 in E-Flat, op. 107. I’m not familiar with the work, and after hearing the virtuosity of the third movement Cadenza, I can understand why it’s not regularly performed. The second work, Dvorak’s Silent Woods, engaged young musicians from the Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestras and BSO Orchkids for what I imagine was a once-in-a-lifetime collaboration with the world-renown cellist and orchestra. The BSO then closed with Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, giving the old warhorse a glorious ride.
I am reminded of someone who once said that when one is performing, there will be audience members hearing their first concert and other hearing their last concert. Always give your best effort for them all. I don’t know if I heard my last concert, but I certainly feel like it was one of my best experiences as an audience member.
Photos from the two concerts are available at https://singin1.pics/piwigo/index.php?/category/See-the-DMV-Birthday-Concertizing-Sept-2024.