Samuel Barber disappointed not only his friend who commissioned the violin concerto, but the violin coach of the man for whom it was written, who called it unsuitable for performance by his student.
That goes against the feeling of the violinist who will perform it Saturday in the Ted Paul Theatre at Minnesota State University in the Mankato Symphony Orchestra’s season finale concert, “Fantasy & Beauty.”
Rui Du (pronounced Ray Doo) calls it a “beautiful, beautiful concerto,” with the first movement containing “intimate musical color” and the second “super emotional.” The third movement, written after interruption in 1939 by World War II, he called “super brilliant.”
In fact, the Violin Concerto, Op. 14, has become one of the most frequently performed of all 20th century concertos. That’s an assessment that would, no doubt, surprise Philadelphia industrialist Samuel Simeon Fels, who commissioned his Curtis Institute of Music classmate Barber to write it.
MSO Symphonic Series Music Director Ernesto Estigarribia is even more effusive in his assessment of the piece: “The Barber Violin Concerto epitomizes elegance with its lyrical melodies and profound emotional resonance,” he said.
Du was appointed assistant concertmaster of the Minnesota Orchestra in 2015 after having a similar role with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. He has served as concertmaster of several other orchestras, including the North Dakota Symphony and Tanglewood Festival Orchestra.
He was born in Hefei, China, and studied music at the Music Middle School of the Shanghai Conservatory, completing his bachelor’s in music from the National University of Singapore’s Yong Siew Toh Conservatory. He also received his master’s of music and graduate performance diploma from the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University.
Saturday’s concert also includes performances of “Rodeo” by Aaron Copland and “The Firebird Suite” by Igor Stravinsky.
“Its inclusion alongside Copland’s vivacious ‘Rodeo’ and Stravinsky’s captivating ‘Firebird’ promises a concert of unparalleled diversity and enchantment,” Estigarribia said of Barber’s concerto.
Du said Barber is a great American composer who may be better known for his work for opera and vocal music. “I think he demonstrated his mastery as a composer during his time at the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia,” where Fels got to know him.
This concert concludes Estigarribia’s second season with MSO, a fact that Executive Director Bethel Balge has called exciting.
“We’ve had a tremendous couple of seasons under our new music director,” she said. “Our orchestra has never sounded better.”
While hopes to make the chapel at Our Lady of Good Counsel the orchestra’s new home were lost when the development deal of the campus fell through, Balge said efforts for a new, permanent venue continue. Most of its concerts are now performed at St. Peter High School.
Plans for next season, the orchestra’s 74th, include an all-Latin program, inspired by a new partnership with local artist Justin Ek, organizer of the Day of the Dead celebration in Mankato. Another highlight for next season will be the performance of Mozart’s “Requiem” March 15 in Mankato and March 16 in Fairmont.