WINSTON-SALEM, NC: Saturday night Michelle Merrill, the Winston-Salem Symphony Music Director in her 2nd year, kicked off the 2024-25 season with Brahms’ 2nd Symphony. Also on the program was Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue with the brilliant 23-year-old Japanese American Ray Ushikubo serving as the soloist, and Strauss’ Suite from Der Rosenkavalier.
After a rousing “Star-Spangled Banner” with the audience singing, conductor Merrill greeted the audience, saying it was great to be working with the “wonderful Winston-Salem Symphony” and pointed out that it was the 100th anniversary of the first performance of the Rhapsody, which took place in New York City in 1924.
The Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 73 (1877) by Johannes Brahms (Germany 1833-97) is in the classical four-movement form: fast, slow, dance, fast. It is known for its “good humor and geniality,” as David B. Levy ably notes in his informative accompanying program notes. Indeed, it is probably one of Brahms’ most accessible symphonies.
The fine performance of the first movement was aided by Merrill’s choice of a sprightly tempo for the opening, the warmth of the lower strings playing the second theme, and the power of the brass section in the more agitated passages. Particularly noticeable was Robert Campbell’s horn playing throughout the evening, but especially his long-winded solo in this movement.
In the lovely second movement, I began to have second thoughts about the acoustics of the quite beautiful R.J. Reynolds Auditorium. While the brass sound was bright and clear (maybe because they were backed by a solid wall) the strings were sometimes a bit muddy.
The third movement contained good energy with exquisite solo oboe work provided by Claire Kostic. The finale begins with a soft, scurrying main tune, and Merrill brought out the sudden changes in dynamics that came later to good effect. The extroverted exuberance of the music, especially found in the brilliant and fortissimo brass-infused final measures, provided a brilliant close.
The premiere of Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin (United States, 1898-1937) was part of a concert billed as “An Experiment in Modern Music.” It is one of the works that defined “the Jazz Age,” and it has become a staple in the literature ever since. It was scored by Ferde Grofé, and Gershwin was the piano soloist.
Saturday night’s pianist Ray Ushikubo has won several prestigious competitions, beginning with his orchestral debut at age ten with the Young Musicians Foundation Orchestra in Los Angeles. The opening famous clarinet solo was presented by Anthony Taylor with wonderful expressiveness that made one smile, as did the follow-up trumpet solo played by Garrett Klein.
Ushikubo’s performance was marked by extreme contrasts: between loud and soft and between slow and fast. His remarkable showmanship maybe have given rise to some who thought it was a bit over the top, but no one can deny the virtuosity or the musicality of the young artist. He played the slower passages with incredible freedom of expression and clarity. All was a delight to hear.
The thunderous approval of the performance brought the artist back to the stage to play – wait – did I tell you he is also a brilliant violinist? The encore was an arrangement of Gershwin’s “I Got Rhythm,” by Broadway arranger William David Brohn and recorded by Joshua Bell with the London Symphony Orchestra under the baton of John Williams. What a fun showpiece. All the virtuosity from the Rhapsody was transferred here to the violin, and Ushikubo’s confident and playful demeanor will stay with the audience long after this concert.
The Suite from Der Rosenkavalier (opera 1911, arr. 1944?) was likely arranged (with the composer’s blessings) by the conductor Artur Rodziński, who conducted the premiere of the Suite with the New York Philharmonic in 1944. This is Strauss, so the large orchestra was augmented by two harps and celesta and aided by five percussionists.
The arrangement contains both nostalgic and exuberant passages from the opera, complete with a brilliant climax. The result is a deeply satisfying overview of the main tunes with magnificent orchestra, wonderfully brought alive by Merrill and company.
