Psalm 90 And Symphony No. 5: Symphony Analysis

A collection of uniquely American music filled the Davies Symphony Hall as the San Francisco Symphony performed on Nov. 12. Veteran music director Michael Tilson Thomas conducted four pieces: Charles Ives’ Psalm 90 and Symphony No. 3, Antonín Dvořák’s The American Flag, and George Gershwin’s An American in Paris. Although varying in style and tone, each piece evoked a facet of the exceptionally American cultural identity, coalescing to present a musical microcosm in red, white and blue. Featuring a multitude of solo performances, the symphony was intelligently structured, beginning with Ives’ two-faced Psalm 90 that spasmodically veered between calm and sharply dissonant, moving to Dvořák’s passionately patriotic and glorious 4-movement piece
After Dvořák left Bohemia in 1892 for three years to direct the National Conservatory of New York, he wrote this piece for Columbus Day festivities, as an introduction to the American public—however, the piece was not performed until 1895, a week after he left Bohemia (Keller). The 21-minute cantata consists of four movements: “Colors of Flag”, “Two Apostrophes to the Eagle”, “Three Apostrophes to the Flag”, and “Finale: Prophetic”. Directed by Ragnar Bohlin and featuring solo performances from tenor Amitai Pai and bass-baritone Philip Skinner, the piece varies internally from soft, serious music to fervently loud and glorious brass tunes. Dvořák paints vivid images of war, showing both the inherent danger involved along with the glory of a triumphant campaign. The piece is solemnly melodious at times, playing pianissississimo (ppp) as if to show the abject sadness involved in a war. At other times, the music is suspenseful and menacing, crescendoing up to a high, loud note and prolonging it before dropping swiftly into a deathly silence. Yet, in places, the music is loudly triumphant and advertises passion-filled brass marching tunes as if to celebrate a victorious battle and the festivities afterward. The piece ends fortissississimo (fff) with the full chorus joining in, conjuring ideas of
Two wonderfully narrative works, Charles Ives’ Symphony No. 3 and George Gershwin’s An American in Paris formed the latter half of the concert. Symphony No. 3, subtitled The Camp Meeting is a 3-movement piece composed in the early 1900s, although it was not performed until 1946. Its simplicity, in stark contrast with Ives’ typical works, earned it the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 1947. Its music is set to resemble a rural American religious gathering in the late 1800s (Keller). Its three movements, “Old Folks Gatherin’”, “Children’s Day” and “Communion” each represent a different part of a classic camp meeting. The opening movement, “Old Folks Gatherin’,” is a homorhythmic and rather calm hymn built upon pieces of easily recognizable music, even to a casual observer. Played andante maestoso, or majestically slow, the music exhibits all the characteristics of a church gathering. The second movement, “Children’s Day,” takes a sharp turn, playing allegro. Ives intended it to spotlight the games of the children as the adults listened to the mass; as such, the nature of the music is playful and very cheery. Finally, played largo, “Communion” closes off Symphony No. 3. A serene and fitting end, it features soft bells as a sign off that is intended to sound like distant church bells. Symphony No. 3 also provides a perfect segway into the brighter and