Overcoming Adversity: Celebrating Triumphs in Music’s Transformative Power
Curator, host, and pianist for the Café Ludwig series, Orli Shaham, shared her thoughts about creating the final program of series, Trials and Tribulations: “The idea behind the Café Ludwig program on May 5, 2024 is that all of these composers had some struggles in life, but triumphed through their music. They had some tribulations either in the time that they lived in or in society’s reaction to who they were as people: Ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, etc. They were made to feel like they didn’t belong. Nevertheless, each of these composers found ways to express hope for the world and for the future through their music.”
The upcoming Café Ludwig program, sponsored by Dot & Rick Nelson, presents a poignant exploration of the human spirit’s capacity to transcend adversity through artistic expression.
George Enescu, a prodigy shrouded by the political turmoil of early 20th century Romania, wove the fabric of his national identity into his compositions, despite the tension between his artistic vision and the escalating strains of war and national upheaval. Peter Dayton, whose works reflect the contemporary composer’s search for identity in a society often indifferent to classical forms, infuses his “Fantasy for Viola and Piano” with a narrative of personal and musical discovery. Leo Smit’s flourishing career was tragically cut short by the Holocaust, yet his “Trio for Clarinet, Viola, and Piano” resonates with the vibrant Amsterdam scene he once animated, a testament to his enduring legacy. Adolphus Hailstork has navigated the dualities of being African American in the traditionally Eurocentric world of classical music, his “Variations for Trumpet” embodying a blend of cultural motifs and sophisticated academic training. György Ligeti, having survived the harrowing experiences of WWII and the Hungarian Revolution, channeled his existential trials into groundbreaking acoustical explorations, as heard in selections from his ” Six Bagatelles.” Lastly, Francis Poulenc, grappling with his sexuality in a less accepting era, found solace and expression in music, with his “Sextet for Piano and Woodwind Quintet” embracing both the sorrows and joys of his tumultuous life journey.
Orli Shaham expressed her enthusiasm for performing this repertoire with our orchestra’s musicians. “I’m very excited to be playing with these Pacific Symphony musicians, some of whom I don’t often get to make music with. Trumpet player Tony Ellis, for example: “I haven’t had a chance to play with him for a number of years, so I’m excited to work with him again. The woodwind players at Pacific Symphony are just so fantastic, and this concert in May is the first time I’ve worked with them all year. We’ll have five woodwinds for the Poulenc Sextet and for the Ligeti Bagatelles. Pacific Symphony has a new clarinetist, Robert Walker, and I’m very excited to work with him, and it’s always a treat to play with the violist Meredith Crawford. She’s one of my favorite collaborators at Pacific Symphony, and it’s great that we get to perform both Peter Dayton’s Fantasy and the Leo Smit Trio together.”
To delve deeper into this concert, read the program notes by Michael Clive here.
Tickets are selling fast! Don’t miss out on the last chamber music concert of the 2023-24 season.
