You’ve almost certainly heard of Beethoven, but have you ever experienced his music in a live setting? Why is he considered among the greats?
On Friday you can find out for free.
If you love beautiful melodies and appreciate excellent musicianship, the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra may have something that appeals to you. A Saturday night performance of Beethoven by an internationally renown violinist will be proceeded by a unique opportunity for those who love classical music as well as those who are new to the genre. On Friday afternoon from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. the NBSO will conduct a Free Open Rehearsal at the Zeiterion Performing Arts Center in downtown – an excellent opportunity for those who have not been formally introduced to classical music.
Saturday night’s concert and Friday’s free rehearsal will feature an extraordinary piece of music being performed by one of the world’s foremost classical musicians, Vadim Gluzman. In addition to one of Beethoven’s greatest works, his Violin Concerto, the performance will also include selections from two British composers – Anna Clyne’s “Masquerade,” and William Walton’s “Symphony No. 1.”
“Seeing a rehearsal by an orchestra is similar to seeing a band at practice,” says NBSO President and CEO, David Prentiss. “They’ll likely start by doing a complete run-through so you’ll hear the whole piece without any interruptions, and then they’ll go back and play it again, but this time with some stopping along the way to work on some of the passages. It’s really kind of fascinating, you get to hear the amazing music and then you get to see how the orchestra and the conductor work to put a piece of music together. They’re doing the work that goes into putting on a concert.”
The NBSO had a previous open rehearsal event in October of last year.
“The response was great,” Prentiss says. “People were saying, ‘Please do more of this.’”
The symphony plans to offer more free rehearsals prior to their April and May performances.
“Beethoven’s violin concerto is one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever written,” Prentiss says. “There’s a real energy and excitement to it, and it will be played by a soloist who performs all around the world.
“Beethoven wrote amazing melodies,” Prentiss says. “If there’s one thing we love as humans, it’s beautiful melodies, whether it’s the Beatles or Van Morrison. For any great songwriter, the heart of the matter is the melody, and this violin concerto is an example of that. You’ll end up humming these melodies after you’ve heard them.”
Gluzman will perform Beethoven with a famous instrument – a Stradivarius violin that was built in 1690.
“This violin has a sound of total sweetness, it sounds incredible,” Prentiss says. ”In the hands of Vadim Gluzman it’s going to sound amazing.”
“Beethoven invented a lot of new things, he looked at music in a different way,” Prentiss says. “There’s so much depth and creativity, The conductors and guest artists I talk to say that every time they go to play once of his pieces they see something new, something they’ve never seen before. It’s one thing to be creative and innovative in your own time, but he’s still considered one of the most creative and innovative composers of all time.”
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