Symphony, chorale perform 'Ode to Joy'

More than 150 musicians and singers from Glacier Symphony and Chorale will come together Nov. 17 and 18 in two performances of the monumental Beethoven “Symphony No. 9 in D Minor” at Flathead High School in Kalispell.

Universally regarded as one of Beethoven’s most powerful and recognizable symphonies, the Ninth has been used widely, from television theme songs to movie background scores to church hymns. Its most frequent usage is the famous fourth movement, which incorporates the poem “Ode to Joy” by Friederich Schiller that integrates the choir and four soloists with the orchestra. It is the first example of a choral symphony, an innovation that was considered quite radical in Beethoven’s day.

The performance will feature the Glacier Symphony and the 85-voice Glacier Chorale under the direction of James Stanard. Music Director John Zoltek will conduct.

Written when the composer was completely deaf, the Ninth Symphony is lauded for its visionary and transformative inspiration. The late, great conductor Leonard Bernstein said, “We cannot listen to the Ninth Symphony without emerging from it changed and encouraged. It’s almost like celebrating the birthday of music itself.”

Zoltek has paired this iconic Beethoven work with his more fledgling “Symphony No. 1 in C Major,” offering the audience a unique comparison and illustration of Beethoven’s growth as he matured from the earlier classical Viennese Imperial style of Haydn and Mozart with his later profoundly personal dynamic style of the Romantic era.

“In many ways, Beethoven’s music was the catalyst that launched the modern Romantic aesthetic of music that is largely prevalent in our symphonic repertoire today, with emphasis on emotion, human dynamism and the individual artistic musical statement that speaks directly to the audience,” Zoltek said.

“This is a rare and important opportunity to hear this seminal work by Beethoven right here in the Flathead Valley. This is a must-see concert for anyone who loves music of any kind. Its cathartic symphonic power [and] exhilarating message of universal humanity is unparalleled in music history.”

Joining the orchestra and chorale for the exhilarating final movement will be four acclaimed vocal soloists: Amy Johnson, soprano; Jennifer Feinstein, mezzo soprano; Raul Melo, tenor; and Stephen Morscheck, baritone. All are acclaimed artists who perform with various opera companies and symphonies nationwide.

The concerts will be held at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 17 and 3 p.m. Nov. 18 at the Flathead High auditorium, 644 Fourth St. W., Kalispell.

A free pre-concert talk will be offered 45 minutes before each performance. It will be led by Paul Faessel, a longtime Glacier Symphony double bassist.

Tickets for the concert are available in a range of prices, from $15 to $39 in four seating tiers. Tickets are available for purchase online at www.gscmusic.org or by calling 257-3241.

In keeping with the symphony’s mission of making music affordable, all youths through grade 12 are admitted free to Masterwork concerts.

The Symphony Express Bus, a free bus ride from Whitefish to Kalispell, will leave the Whitefish Mountain Mall at 6:15 p.m. Nov. 17 and arrive in time for the pre-performance concert talk at 6:45 p.m. Call the symphony office to reserve a seat on the bus.

During their visit to the Flathead Valley, the four soloists will also present short master classes for school choirs in Kalispell and Whitefish. Morscheck will teach a class in the Glacier High performance hall from 10:10 to 11 a.m. Nov. 16; this class is open to the public, but visitors must first check in at the school office.

The four soloists will also perform “The Art of Song,” a small, informal performance, at 7 p.m. Nov. 15 at the Alpine Lighting Ballroom, 333 S. Main St., Kalispell. The concert is part of the Symphony Soloist Spotlight, a new series that provides a more intimate setting and a chance to hear the performers while enjoying a glass of wine.

Tickets are $15 per person and must be purchased in advance due to limited seating. Call the symphony office for details.