MICHIGAN CITY – It may not have been the last night of the promenade concerts at the Royal Albert Hall in London, but the LaPorte County Symphony Orchestra’s concert Saturday evening at Elston Middle School Auditorium had enthusiastic audience participation.
“British Invasion, Irish Excursion” featured the Michiana Choral Society, baritone Ryan de Ryke and the Thistle and Heather Pipe Band from South Bend. Philip Bauman, music director and conductor of the orchestra, first rehearsed the audience and then conducted the singing of the British national anthem, “God Save the Queen,” a tune better known this side of the pond with the words, “My Country ’Tis of Thee.”
The Michiana Choral Society, recently formed by director Robert Dure, joined the orchestra for Handel’s “Zadok the Priest (Coronation Anthem).” Bauman conducted both the orchestra and 16-member chorus. It was composed for the coronation of George II in 1727, and has been performed at the coronation of every British monarch since, according to James Rodgers’ program notes.
The symphony then played the haunting theme of “Nimrod,” from Sir Edward Elgar’s “Enigma Variations,” composed in 1899. The orchestra built up to a passionate crescendo, which suddenly diminished at the last phrase.
After such an emotional piece, the orchestra played “Fantasia on British Sea Songs,” by Sir Henry Wood, the founder of the British promenade concerts. It included “Bugle Calls,” “The Saucy Arethusa,” “Tom Bowling,” “Jack’s The Lad,” “Spanish Ladies,” “Home Sweet Home,” and “See, The Conquering Hero Comes!” The audience clapped in time to the music and some even sang “Rule Britannia!” a la last night of the promenade audiences. It was a spirited rendition of several familiar tunes.
De Ryke sang the work of another British composer, Ralph Vaughn Williams, “Five Mystical Songs.” De Ryke’s diction was extremely clear with every consonant enunciated. At times, when the chorus sang too, his voice was hard to hear, perhaps because he leaned back from, rather than towards, the microphone.
Following the intermission, the Thistle and Heather Pipe Band made its entrance to the stirring strains of “Scotland the Brave.” Two pipers are from LaPorte County, Stephen Peterka and Kathleen Lang; Lang also plays French horn in the symphony. The nine pipers and four drummers also played “Wearing of the Green,” “Minstrel Boy,” “Rakes of Mallow” and “Itchy Fingers.” Pipe Major Richard Mao said the band was formed in 1985.
The Irish portion of the concert was a medley arranged by John Finnegan of “It’s a Great Day For the Irish,” “My Wild Irish Rose,” “Toora Lorra Looral,” Galway Bay, “ “Danny Boy” and “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling.” The chorus led the singing with enthusiastic audience participation.
Bauman said he doesn’t often include the same music twice in a program, but Percy Grainger’s “Irish Tune from County Derry” better know as “Danny Boy” was a great opportunity to showcase the string section of the orchestra, with the cellos and basses carrying the well-known tune at the beginning and the entire string section joining in.
Another Vaughn Williams’ piece, “English Folk Song Suite,” arranged by Gordon Jacob, demonstrated the orchestra’s precise timing in intricate sections.
The finale was “Classic Beatles” arranged by Peter Mansfield. It featured several Beatles’ hits, including “Yesterday,” “Strawberry Fields” and “Hey, Jude.” It was an exhilarating end to a very enjoyable evening.
This concert had a little bit of every kind of music, from serious to pop. It was the kind of program that will entertain people who might think they wouldn’t enjoy symphony music.
The next symphony concert, “The Music Man” pops concert, is Saturday, April 22, at 7:30 p.m. at LaPorte Civic Auditorium.
Try it – you’ll like it!
