People who don’t understand classical music or think it’s too high-brow for them might be interested in an upcoming concert from the Kennett Symphony. That’s the word from Michael Hall, the orchestra’s music director.
“Shubert and Champagne” is an informal and casual presentation scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 5, at the Mendenhall Inn.
“This is a unique concert that is casual. It’s a chance to get to know a great masterwork in a casual setting,” Hall said.
That “great masterwork” is Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony, Symphony No. 8. It’s a short piece, only about 20 minutes long and only two movements. Most symphonies are written in four movements, Hall explained. It remains a mystery why the piece was never finished.
The concert will be in Mendenhall’s ballroom, with the orchestra in the middle and the audience sitting around the musicians.
“What does that do? It gives people a unique perspective, a unique aural perspective. They’re close to the musicians, unlike when an orchestra is up on a stage. It’s very intimate,” Hall said.
Making it even more casual and informal is that the audience can have some food and libation in their seats while the orchestra is playing. Hall anticipates a lot of mimosas being consumed considering the start time, and people will still have the rest of the day since the concert will be over by noon.
Adding to the informality will be how the music is presented. The opening number will be Entr’acte No. 3 from Rosamunde, also by Schubert. That piece is only a few minutes long. Then Hall will briefly talk about the first movement of the Unfinished Symphony before the orchestra plays the first movement. And that will be followed by a brief talk and performance of the second movement.
Hall said he wants to then have a brief five to 10-minute intermission before the orchestra plays both movements of the symphony straight through.
His aim in presenting the piece this way is so that people who don’t know the music can gain an appreciation for and awareness and enjoyment of the piece.
There will also be a visual aspect to the presentation with two screens and a projector showing pictures of Schubert and where he lived. Hall called it an “immersive experience.”
One obvious question is why the symphony was never finished. Hall said the short form of the answer is that nobody knows for certain. He said Schubert would often begin writing a piece, then put it away for a while. In this case, however, he never went back to finish it for some unknown reason. It had nothing to do with a sudden illness or death since Schubert lived for another six years.
Hall added that one of Schubert’s friends found the manuscript, and some other composers tried to finish it, but they never did, and the piece wasn’t played publicly for 30 years.
There will also be a follow-up concert the following day, Sunday, Nov. 6, at Unionville High School, where the piece will be played again, this time straight through, along with two other pieces, Four Poems by Christine Donkin and Serenade No. 2 by Johannes Brahms.
Prices for the Saturday concert are $50 for adults and $10 for students up to the age of 18. Student prices for the Sunday concert are also $10, but adults will pay $58, $50, or $35, depending on where they sit. Go here to buy tickets.
About Rich Schwartzman
Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.
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