Music Under the Dome - A Bold Dance

Written by Yinuo Chen

On October 7 at 5:00pm, the Joyce and Henry Schwob School of Music presents Music Under the Dome at the Coca-Cola Space Science Center. It is going to be an evening of music that shifts between elegance and intensity, from the French impressionism to the raw emotions of Romantic grief. Each piece on the program tells its own story about youth, loss, tradition, or cultural change. By the end of the day, they all share one thing, that is music can shape human feeling.

Eugène Bozza’s Image for Solo Flute sets the tone. Bozza was a French composer who spent his career writing music for wind, brass, and strings, creating works that musicians still love to play today. He wrote the piece in 1945, right after World War II. From the start, the flute shows two sides: flowing, lyrical lines that sing softly, and bright, energetic passages that sparkle and jump. These contrasts create a journey from calm to excitement, giving the music both intimacy and energy. Even though it’s short, it is full of character and feeling, showing the beauty and technical skill of the flute. By the end, listeners can really feel the expressive power of one instrument alone.

Next on the program is Felix Mendelssohn’s Quartet No. 6 in F minor, Op. 80. Mendelssohn was one of the great Romantic composers, admired not only for his own music but also for reviving interest in older music, like Bach’s. This quartet comes from the very end of his life, written in 1847 shortly after his sister Fanny died suddenly. The first movement, Allegro vivace assai, starts with intense energy. Fast rhythms and sudden changes in volume feel like a storm passing through the music. Later, a calmer, lyrical theme appears, bring us into a moment of peace, but you know the sadness is always there whether you can feel it or not. Soon after, the storm returns, building tension, and by the end, the music fades, leaving a feeling of sorrow and unease. The quartet does not feel like a perfectly polished piece but more like Mendelssohn’s personal feelings poured into music, making it very moving and intimate.

Following Mendelssohn’s intimate and intense expression of sadness is Ernst von Dohnányi’s Piano Quintet No. 1 in C minor, composed when he was only seventeen. This early quintet demonstrates both technical brilliance and surprising emotional depth, making it clear that even at his youth, Dohnányi was already shaping a strong and confident artistic voice.

Allegro, the first movement opens with a bold, dramatic theme, with piano and strings exchanging sweeping, energetic phrases that feel full of life. A gentler, warmer theme appears, giving a moment of calm and reflection, making the music feel alive and expressive. As the movement continues, the dramatic ideas return even stronger, and the piano and strings interact in virtuosic ways, showing Dohnányi’s ability to combine technique and emotion. Even as a teenager, he already understands tension, release, and emotional storytelling. The piece is full of energy and passion to the point that it can move anyone even they are not familiar with classical music.

Last but not least, Maurice Ravel’s La Valse, a piece that takes the familiar elegance of a waltz and transforms it into something intense, dramatic, and unforgettable. Ravel, one of France’s most important composers of the early 20th century, originally imagined this work as a ballet celebrating the Viennese waltz. But after World War I, the music became darker and more turbulent.  The piece begins like a fog lifting, showing delicate and graceful waltz melodies. At first, the dance feels elegant and charming, like a beautiful ballroom. Soon, the music becomes wilder, spinning faster and faster, building tension, until it explodes into a dramatic, overwhelming finale. Ravel’s music moves with energy and excitement from start to finish, leaving the audience with a vivid impression of drama and chaos.

Join the audience for Music Under the Dome, experience an evening where every note tells a story. This concert promises to leave you with unforgettable memories. Don’t miss the chance to share in the beauty, drama, and excitement of this special musical journey!

*Cover image developed utilizing AI.