I used to be a pretty enlightened classical music aficionado when

my ex-husband used to conduct his own “orchestra” in our bay window with

a plastic chopstick. Beethoven was his composer of choice, but

Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 (“From the New World”) was one of his all-time

favorites. So when I saw that it was to be presented at the Snoqualmie

Valley Arts Live concert, I could hardly wait to hear it again.

The first piece by Guiseppe Verdi (1813-1901) was the overture to

the opera Nabucco. I’m not very familiar with this composer’s stuff as I’ve

never been a huge fan of opera. It had a definite story line that one could

follow though. My story was along the lines of Disney’s Fantasia (the

original) with rolling hills, horses, knights and maidens.

The second piece was Mozart’s Symphony 39. The beginning has

always struck me as a little ominous with its strong drums and

strings. Since I was more familiar with this symphony, I began in earnest to

pay attention to our conductor, Maestro Fusao Kajima. Wearing a lovely

black tuxedo with two buttons at the back, he uses large, expressive arm

movements to convey to the orchestra just how loud or soft he interprets the

music. My brother Chuck commented that a deaf person would be able

to “hear” the music by watching the conductor’s beautiful body language.

At intermission I lamented to a few people that I never got around to

writing my column after the December Barbershop Chorus concert. The

thing was, there were over 45 women on stage singing songs that told the

story of a recently divorced woman who began dating again. The words

were so comical and the audience was having such a good time, and all it

did was remind me of my own situation. Later my idea for the article

was quashed when a few friends told me they didn’t think my line of

thought would be appropriate considering the circumstances, so it was never

written. For that I apologize.

After intermission our conductor, Maestro Kajima, told us he’d

first heard the last piece, Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9, (“From the New

World”) when he was but three years old. It

was then, he said, that he decided music would be his life. And it’s no

wonder, because this symphony is truly a work of art. The first movement brings

to my mind early explorers, Native Americans, big sailing ships

and stormy seas. The second movement begins quietly, perhaps with an

early morning sunrise. Soft rain showers bring new life and tiny creatures

meandering, fluttering.

The third movement begins boldly, with the percussionist and his little

triangle bell. The violins answer the flutes, and the kettledrums signify

the hoof beats of the cavalry, complete with horn section. The fourth

movement is, I believe, our conductor’s favorite.

Dvorak completed this entire symphony in a little over five months.

He began in December 1892 by jotting down melodies based on

impressions he’d absorbed since coming to America a few months before.

When it was performed for the first time in December 1893 at Carnegie Hall,

the response of the audience was overwhelming. Newspapers wrote

that never before had a composer written such a triumphant piece.

Since that time the “New World Symphony” has never dropped out

of the top ten favorites and is said to be performed more often than any

other symphony.

It was a thoroughly enjoyable concert for me and everyone I spoke

to who’d been in attendance. If nothing else, it’s renewed my interest in

classical music. My only disappointment was that the auditorium was

only about two-thirds full; unbelievable that so many people dismissed the

opportunity of hearing a symphony concert for only $15 a person.

The next concert will be on March 23, a Celtic folk instrumental and

vocal mix by Golden Bough. After that, the last concert of the season will

be Harley Brumbaugh’s sizzling mix of swing and Dixieland jazz music.

Make an appointment with yourself to catch these last two performances, and

sign up for season tickets next year _ you won’t regret it!

Sue Beauvais is a local business owner and enthusiastic

supporter of the arts. Send comments to SueBeauvais@hotmail.com.