Sometimes a concert turns out to be more than the music. Sometimes it’s a perfectly proportioned balancing act, a celebration of joy that heightens the spirit.
In the case of “Lift Every Voice: Resonating Music, Words & Legacy,” which filled Heinz Hall on Saturday night, it was not only a celebration. It was historic.
It was the kind of community concert that the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra should breed. With classical music still viewed primarily as a world of white privilege, it was particularly gratifying to see such a meaningful collaboration, one that bridged the often-wide gap between Heinz Hall Downtown and the Hill District.
No more, I hope.
In just one night (unfortunately), this program showcased the richness and talent of African American culture to be found through classical music in its many definitions.
This was no ordinary symphonic experience. Not when it began with a drum call, beautifully orchestrated by five men from the Pittsburgh Cultural Arts Collective, dressed in colorful African-inspired garb and bringing the audience to rapt attention.
They were followed by a daringly quiet a cappella solo from vocalist Anqwenique, a Pittsburgh native who was able to tread a fine line between gospel soul and operatic control in “Take My Hand, Precious Lord,” a favorite of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
That immediately set the tone for the evening — defining an unlimited range where anything was possible.
And it was. Tony Award winner Phylicia Rashad was the glue that held it all together. Emerging to loud, appreciative applause (and a single cry of “You go, girl!”), she explained how George Walker was Coretta Scott King’s favorite composer, here represented by the PSO, which took the stage in “Lyric for Strings.”
And there was space for famed Hill photographer Teenie “One-Shot” Harris in Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild composer Jay Ashby’s “Teenie Time.” Based on classic jazz, it involved the full orchestra conducted by Lucas Richman and featured no less than five soloists, both in and out of the PSO, along with an array of his photos.
The real inspiration for the concert centered around Pittsburgh native and acclaimed playwright August Wilson. That idea was bolstered by Kathryn Bostic, who not only played the piano and sang her own piece in tribute to Mr. Wilson, “State of Grace,” but unveiled the world premiere of her new work in five movements, “The August Wilson Symphony.”
She had worked with Mr. Wilson on “Gem of the Ocean” and “Radio Golf.” Like him, she drew from the classics, along with contemporary sources. So there were traces of Aaron Copland’s wide open chords at the start, “The Great Migration” and the rhythmic nature of Leonard Bernstein in “Wylie Avenue.”
Perhaps there could have been more of a jazz component, although tasty pieces were to be found in the musical quilt she created. And concertmaster Mark Huggins received extended applause for his solo in “Oracle of Aunt Ester.”
That was also a high point for narrator Ms. Rashad, who played the role on Broadway and literally transformed herself into the 349 year-old spiritual healer who appeared in several of Mr. Wilson’s plays. Each movement was preceded by a play quote, which seemed only natural, and, in Ms. Rashad’s hands, so accomplished. After all, it has been said that there is music in Mr. Wilson’s writing, often poetic and always a truthful depiction of human nature.
The musical wealth continued with the promise of the future, 14 year-old cellist Ifetayo Ali confidently conquering the virtuosic third movement of the Lalo cello concerto.
You might say they brought it all home (and subsequently brought the house down) with an a cappella male quartet from the select Hill District Unity Choir, who captured such crystal-clear harmonies in the title song of the night, “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” by John Johnson and James Johnson and known as the “Black National Anthem.”
The full choir joined the orchestra in the dynamic finale, Richard Smallwood’s “Anthem of Praise,” peppered with numerous and deserved solos. And, as the audience exited, the music continued into the night with jazz in the main lobby, as we might have expected ... and wanted.
Former Post-Gazette critic Jane Vranish can be reached at jvranish1@comcast.net. She also blogs at pittsburghcrosscurrents.com.
First Published: January 21, 2018, 6:47 p.m.
