Obscure Music Reviewed!

Apparently there was once a composer named Beethoven. Apparently he wrote some pretty good music! Apparently no one knows this. Let’s check in with Jeanne Claire Van Ryzin of the Austin American Statesman!

Beethoven’s Ninth a joy to hear

Shouts of "bravo" and a rousing standing ovation topped off Austin Symphony Orchestra's presentation of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 Friday night at the Long Center, the first of two sold-out concerts the orchestra performed over the weekend.

What an amazingly progressive choice of programming. Avant-garde, even.

True, orchestra music director Peter Bay and the orchestra might have made their official Long Center debut in April, but Friday's concert had the festive feel of a true premiere.

I hate those fake premieres. I mean premières. Wait, what?

Bay started the evening with a pleasant playing of Beethoven's Eighth Symphony — a short, melodic happy symphony.

I think you missed a comma, there. (Or maybe a hyphen? Melodic-happy?) But, whatever. Because most symphonies aren’t melodic at all!

The drama was delivered after intermission when Bay and company attacked the Ninth.

I’m sure everyone there was fidgeting through the 8th, all like, “Goddammit! When is the drama going to be delivered?!”

Much is required of an orchestra and chorus to shape Beethoven's intense last symphony. And it started with verve and emotion, with Bay clearly

Clearly!

extracting rich color from the orchestra

Clearly extracting...color?

— a considerable effort given the stormy first movement and the brisk, forceful and energetic second movement.

Um. What piece is this again? Oh, Beethoven’s 9th? Oh, okay. I think I’ve heard that once or twice.

Bay and the musicians are still clearly

Clearly!

experimenting with the subtle of acoustics


The “subtle of acoustics”? Really?

of the Long Center's Dell Hall. Beethoven's sweeping Ninth Symphony proved a test.

What test did it prove?

There's still some tweaking needed, evidenced in the third movement where the direction of the orchestra sounded unresolved in its focus.

The direction...was unresolved...in its focus? What? What does that even mean?

But the orchestra pulled it together for the final movement, when a 175-member choir, under the direction of Kenny Sheppard, assembled to sing what's become commonly known as the "Ode to Joy" chorus.

Oh, that Beethoven’s 9th! The one with the “Ode to Joy”? Now it all makes sense. Thanks.