Arts

Andover Chamber Music Society Performs Season Finale Concert

“We will try not to just simply recreate the pieces but to create them in a new way,” said Julie Scolnik, Artist Director and Flutist for the renowned Andover Chamber Music Society, before starting the concert. The concert, titled “Intimations of Immortality,” took place last Sunday in the Cochran Chapel and marked the Andover Chamber Music Society’s season finale and 15th Anniversary Concert.

The Andover Chamber Music Society is a chamber music group of the Andover town and is not directly affiliated with Andover or the Andover music department.

The musicians played with no conductor during the concert and had freedom regarding tempo and dynamics, according to Scolnik.

The opening piece “Serenade No. 1 in D, Op. 11” by Johannes Brahms and arranged by Alan Boustead, was divided into six movements. Opening the concert, the first movement featured an allegro tempo that resonated a light and joyful mood.

In the fourth movement, the piece spotlighted string players as they plucked the strings on their instruments, providing a contrast to the soothing, leisurely-paced melody of the piece.

The final movement was the highlight of the entire piece, starting off upbeat with the horn, and continuing with intricate lines of different instrumental melodies that were woven together.

“The first piece was really impressive. The musicians played so well together with no conductor, and that is a testament to their skill,” said Angela Kim ’12, “My favorite movement was the last one. I was amazed by how [the musicians] could play overlapping melodies with no conductor.”

After a short intermission, the musicians played their second piece “Symphony No.1” by Gustav Mahler and arranged by Iain Farrington. Even though the piece was originally composed for larger orchestras, the Andover Chamber Music Society, a relatively small orchestra, managed to precisely perform the piece.

The third movement, “Feierlich und gemessen, ohne zu schleppen,” featured the double bass playing the childhood song “Frère Jacques” in a sullen manner. The bass combined with other instrumental sections to create tunes similar to those of a funeral march.

“The performance was really great, and I especially like the last piece, as it was really well played,” said Hannah Harris, audience member and a resident of Arlington, MA. “I also really liked how all the instruments had a good balance, as I could hear all of the instruments,” she continued.

Scolnik said, “I think the performance went really well, and I am pleased as we played the pieces today for the first time.”

The Andover Chamber Music Society performers include those from the Boston Symphony, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, L’Orchestre Nationale de France and other world-renowned music ensembles.