It was a rainy night in early June. But it felt like the Fourth of July
as the Cleveland Pops Orchestra capped its 10th season with a patriotic concert
Friday night at Severance Hall. The ensemble's annual "Armed Forces
Salute" drew a large crowd made up mostly of seniors, including veterans
who stood to be recognized as the orchestra played the anthem of each branch
of the military.
Carl Topilow conducted the stirring program, which opened
with a ceremonial presentation of the flag by members of the U.S. Coast Guard
and Cleveland Grays and the belting out of the National Anthem by the Mutual
Gifts Gospel Choir. Eric Mansfield, Akron/Canton news anchor for WKYC Channel
3 and a major in the Ohio National Guard, introduced theatrical performances
of two orchestral works that portray battles.
Musicians from the United States
Air Force Band of Flight set the scene for Beethoven's "Wellington's
Victory" by marching down the aisles
to a drummer's call to arms. As the descriptive music unfolded, the players,
who hail from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, stood at either side of the
stage next to French and British flags. When the French were defeated, the
trumpeters left their post and joined the Brits for the triumphant finale.
The playing was loud and raucous, and the percussion sounded like gunfire.
Tchaikovsky's "1812" Overture,
representing the Russians' victory over Napoleon, was equally thunderous.
The performance did not include the cannons that are traditionally fired
when the work is played outdoors. But the combined percussionists from the
orchestra and band made plenty of noise.
The Air Force Band had the stage
to itself for a pops tribute, "Irving
Berlin: An American Patriot." Four Air Force vocalists joined the band
to sing abbreviated versions of "God Bless America," "This
is the Army, Mr. Jones," "Blue Skies" and several other Berlin
classics. Lt. Col. Alan C. Sierichs beat time, gave cues and grinned broadly
to acknowledge soloists and encourage flag-waving by the crowd.
After intermission,
the gospel choir returned to raise the roof. So slow and forceful was their
singing of "Total Praise" that they needed
to take a breath after every few notes. The orchestra's lighthearted performances
of John Williams' march from the movie "1941" and Peter Schickele's
PDQ Bach piece "Minuet Militaire" provided welcome relief from
the deafening dynamics and solemn sentiments.
The audience eagerly participated
in a patriotic sing-along, and the concert culminated with Sousa's march, "The
Stars and Stripes Forever." Members
of the crowd stood, clapped in rhythm and waved flags long before the final
section when the piccolos came forward, the Air Force Band marched down the
aisles and Topilow pulled out his red-white-and-blue clarinet as Old Glory
was unfurled above the stage. Glory, Glory Hallelujah!
© 2006 The Plain Dealer. Used with permission.
