Brahms and Hindemith in our own Buckley Recital Hall. Yesterday, the Amherst Symphony Orchestra performed Johannes Brahm’s (1833-1897) Symphony #3 in F major, OP.90 (1883), and Symphony Metamorphosis by Paul Hindemith (1895-1963). This is the second time I have attended an ASO concert, the orchestra blows me away every time. The first piece was very colorful overall with four movements; Allegro con brio, Andante, Poco Allegretto, and Allegro. The house was full of excited faculty, town people, Amherst students, professors, friends, family, etc. Mark Swanson, the ASO conductor, led the Orchestra into a very powerful beginning. There was a small intermission in which people gathered in the foyer of the Arms Music building which went into the start of Symphonic Metamorphosis with four movements: Allegro, Turandot: Scherzo, Andantino, and March. The ending of the entire concert was definitely memorable. It did feel like a march that featured the woodwinds, brass, and percussion in a way that simulated a marching band. The ending set an ominous tone with one of the most notorious victory marches which people might know as the soundtrack of Star Wars, John William’s 1977 score.
I would highly encourage everyone to attend the concerts Amherst has to offer. First of all, it is FREE, second of all how often are you able to hear a live performance, and third of all balance. As I mentioned in my last blog, balance is one of the main things I am learning during my time at Amherst. It does not have to be every performance but the ones that interest you, or the ones that you have never heard of like Indian Country or the ones your friend is performing at ( I am sure they spent hours preparing for that performance). If you are interested in the behind-the-scenes and curation of these performances feel free to reach out. I have a bit of information on that.