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I attended a concert at Isaac Stern Auditorium in New York’s Carnegie Hall. As expected, the sound in this hall is excellent. The highlight of this concert was Ralph Vaughan Williams’s A Sea Symphony.

This symphony is probably rarely performed in Japan. It is a choral symphony throughout and also has the character of an oratorio. Above all, its opening is incredibly powerful. After a brief fanfare, the full chorus suddenly sings “Behold the Sea” a cappella at fortissimo. The timpani roll, and the strings play a surging, wave-like melody at tremendous volume. It feels like a ship cutting through the waves of the open ocean.

A CD of this work is available with the same performers as today’s concert, so I strongly encourage you to listen to it. Still, with a work on this scale, you cannot truly understand it without hearing it live. I would very much like it to be performed in Japan as well. It is one of the pieces I definitely want to hear again.

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
Presented by: Canegie Hall
Date and time: May 1, 2004, 8 p.m.
Conductor: Robert Spano
Performers: Christine Brewer (sop.), Brett Polegato (bar), Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus

Program:
Oliver Knussen (b.1952) \”The Way to Castle Yonder\” from Higglety Pigglety Pop!(1990) I. The Journey to the Big White House —
II. Keine Trauermusik —
III. The Ride to Castle Yonder

Calude Debussy (1862-1918) Three Nocturnes for Orchestra (1987-99)
I. Nuages
II. Fetes
III. Sirenes
Women of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus

Intermission

Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) A Sea Symphony (1903-09)
I. A Song for All Seas, All Ships
II. On the Beach at Night Alone
III. Scherzo: The Waves
IV. The Exploreres
Christine Brewer, Soprano
Brett Polegato, Baritone
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus

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