Last night we performed the first of our three concerts of Classical 8 – whose program is:
James MacMillan – The Confession of Isobel Gowdie (Oregon premiere)
Felix Mendelssohn – Complete Incidental Music to A Midsummer Night’s Dream
It wouldn’t have occurred to me without hearing Carlos mention it in his remarks before the performance, but the two pieces are linked by the theme of witches. I think they could also be linked by the premise that they are just about as diametrically opposed as two pieces can be in terms of their aesthetic and their basic view of the world.
MacMillan presents a dark, brooding world, full of superstition, fear, and savagery. The piece is essentially a requiem and testimonial on behalf of a woman who confessed to being a witch under torture in 1662 Scotland. It both depicts the spiritual rapture of the tortured and the torturers as well as the brutality of the horrific acts inflicted upon the woman on behalf of the fearful, superstitious people with whom she shared her life in a small village, and the blessed relief of her death.
Opinion is divided in the orchestra about the merits of this piece. It is difficult, that is true. It’s also loud. Those two factors will often drive an orchestra member to dislike a piece regardless of its musical merits. I was very much taken with the piece when I first listened to a recording the week before we started rehearsals. There are some remarkable moments of sheer orchestral color that are breathtaking. Overall, I’d edit it down a few minutes in length, but it is a piece well worth hearing and exploring.
Mendelssohn, on the other hand, presents a magical world of mischievous spirits – both royal and lowbrow – full of myriad creatures, all imbued with a sense of wonder and whimsy.
If MacMillan presents the world of Beowulf, Mendelssohn gives us Harry Potter.
And that brings me to a question: must profundity always be linked to negative attributes? Can happy music be profound? I certainly think it can be equally sublime – but without an even minor cathartic moment, does the unchecked happiness equal too much musical dessert?
Thoughts welcome…