For anyone as lucky as I – who had never experienced this type of blended performance within the walls of the high school – the Camerata and Orchestra concert on Nov. 15 was such a gift. I was swept up and carried along a journey from the very moment the music began. The Orchestra, composed of 62 string players, commenced with a dynamic and suspenseful Holberg Suite op. 40. This piece was beautifully bright and horrifyingly dark at the same time unveiling the group’s aptitude as they conquered this arduous composition without a hitch. This first stop on the musical journey played with my emotions: One second, I was peacefully sitting at the bank of Swan lake and the next the Black Swan was thrashing her talons my way.
Then with a seamless transition, the Camerata, 51 students strong, ushered us to a completely different place as they performed an uplifting African-American piece called Daniel, Daniel, Servant of the Lord. With layers and layers of two and then three-part harmony, choral performers shared the familiar, but daunting story of the spiritually-grounded courage and conviction that Daniel had, as he faced certain death in the lions’ den. The strong alto and bass chorus spoke of danger while the sopranos were beautiful and uplifting. Together they took the audience to a higher place that can only be described as a spiritual journey.
The next stop, Johannes Brahms’, The Walk to the Beloved, was a story of longing. In this piece, the Camarata’s performance flowed into a stream to create one voice, the voice of harmony, which brought the audience to a quiet place of reflection. The theme of love was continued with Five Hebrew Love Songs, which were variations on a theme using different tempo and combinations of two-part harmony.
The journey reached its pinnacle when Camarata and Orchestra shared the stage to perform Haydn’s, Agnus Dei. The synergy that occurred when these two classically trained groups combined forces was exceptional and best reflects the incredible talent and commitment of these BHS musicians. The performance was sublime when the angelic voices of Camerata were unified with beautiful melodies of the stringed musicians. This part of the journey picked up where the spiritual element of Daniel left off and took the audience to a place of purity and tranquility with the beautifully blended sounds that can only be rivaled by those in heaven – now that’s a journey.
Having never been to a classical concert at BHS, I had no knowledge of the dexterity of the two groups alone, nor the synergy that would occur when they were flawlessly unified. It was a night to remember, filled with beauty and mastery, and I will be sure not to miss the next opportunity to see where else the journey might lead me.
Clasby Chope can be contacted at [email protected]
