A Mighty Fortress at Disney Hall

Disney Hall

The L.A. Phil under the direction of Gustavo Dudamel performed a rousing concert Thursday night.  The program included Bach's Cantata No. 60 "O Ewigkeit, du Donnerwort" with members of the L.A. Master Chorale and soloists Elizabeth DeShong, mezzo-soprano, Benjamin Bliss, tenor, and Kelly Markgraf, bass-baritone.  The Cantata was composed in 1723 when J.S. was 38.  He was newly appointed as organist and cantor at two Leipzig churches.  He wrote new music every week.  The subject of the Cantata is the fear of death and the hope of the afterlife.  This swing from fear to hope was represented by the singers with the alto as fear and the tenor as hope. 


This was followed by W.A. Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 3 in G major with L.A. Phil's own Concertmaster, Martin Chalifour playing the solo.  Mozart's magical music as played by the orchestra along with Chalifour was wonderful.  He is a major talent and we are fortunate to have him on our L.A. Phil team.

After intermission, the full orchestra played Felix Mendelssohn's Reformation Symphony No.5 in D Major.  He was commissioned to write this on the 300th aniversary of Martin Luther's Augsburg Confessions.  Mendelsshohn struggled with writing this symphony and was never happy with it.  For a good Lutheran like me...I loved it...as the final section, Allegro maestoso, is played with the full orchestra, timpani all, playing Luther's "A Might Fortress is Our God."  I think the good Lutherans in the audience were quietly singing all four verses.  We all rose for a standing ovation.

Luther as an Augustinian Monk from the workshop of Lucas Cranach the Elder 1546

So, it twas another wonderful night at the Phil.  Thank you Gustovo and all the orchestra members for a memorable evening.

Mendelssohn in 1839 by James Warren Childe