Spokane Symphony Music Director James Lowe, Spokane Symphony Concertmaster Mateusz Wolski and former New York Philharmonic Concertmaster Glenn Dicterow came into the KPBX studio this morning to talk with E.J. Iannelli about the Spokane Symphony's upcoming Masterworks 8 concert, titled "Power to the People!"
The concert program includes Ethel Smyth's Overture to The Boatswain’s Mate, Dmitri Shostakovich's Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Op.47 plus the works "Serenade (after Plato’s Symposium)" and "Slava! A Political Overture" by Leonard Bernstein.
Lowe began by explaining the inspiration behind this program of works that relate to political leadership and debate. Wolski also described how Dicterow, his teacher and mentor, came to be involved with this concert.
In discussing the individual pieces, Lowe provided background on how Smyth, a campaigner for women's suffrage, incorporated her "March of the Women" into her opera overture. He and Dicterow also shared the circumstances under which Bernstein wrote the "Serenade," which draws on Plato's rhetorical conversation around the notion of eros. Dicterow was able to offer firsthand anecdotes and insight, having performed the five-movement work many times under Bernstein's baton.
The trio also talked about Bernstein's contrasting "Slava!," a piece that was dedicated to the cellist (and later conductor) Mstislav Rostropovich. The short, humorous work will kick off the Masterworks 8 program and will incorporate a shout-out to Rostropovich's dog, Pooks.
Finally, the musicians delved into Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony and why it was chosen for this program. Uniquely, this work found favor with both the Communist leadership and the Soviet lay population right from the start. Lowe detailed some of the messages and quotes that are 'hidden' in the symphony and spoke to why they might have been more subversive than the Party was prepared to acknowledge.
There are two performances of Masterworks 8: "Power to the People!" The first is tomorrow (Saturday, Apr. 20) and the second is on Sunday (Apr. 21); both are at the Fox Theater. Tickets and more information are at The Fox Theater website.
This From the Studio interview was also the farewell for host E.J. Iannelli.
