“Mighty River” by Errollyn Wallen & Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9
Paramount Theatre, 2025 Broadway, Oakland
June 13, 2025
There’s a constant rumble just beneath the surface, and when that subtle grumbling is eventually released it’s explosive. Even in their slow movements, where the music is subdued, Beethoven’s symphonic compositions possess an undercurrent of tension. The most famous of these glorious eruptions is, of course, the final movement of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. Who doesn’t recognize the fraught, soaring, tympani-heavy choral of “Ode to Joy”? Hearing it is exhilarating enough, but seeing it performed live is an electrifying experience. Last Friday, the Oakland Symphony and Chorus, conducted by Kedrick Armstrong, brought it with big, booming, roaring intensity. The Finale, Presto—Allegro assai vivace, raised me from my seat to raise a hand with the sign of the horns as though at a metal show. Ludwig Van!
It had been a long while since we’d been inside the gorgeous 1931 movie palace and so I’d forgotten how beautiful the Paramount Theatre is. Its four-story grand lobby is breathtakingly impressive, lit in soft aquamarine and gold, and nearly every detail of the place is designed in exquisite Art Deco-style architecture, down to bas-relief wall art, carpeting, drinking fountains, and lighted aisle signage.
Can you believe it’s the last performance of the season?!” Dr. Mieko Hatano, CEO of the Oakland Symphony exclaimed in greeting. “You all look fabulous. How many Oaklanders do we have here tonight?” Cheers from the audience. She went on to speak about the new city budget and its deep cuts to arts funding, calling out District 4 Council member Janani Ramachandran for voting to cut arts funding, or what Ramachandran called “fluff, and quoting Ramachandran’s online bio, which states that she “aspires to use her voice through both music and political advocacy to shine a bright light on the Bay Area’s incredible art culture and history.” Disapproving moans from the audience.
“In America, artists are the last bastion of free speech and expression,” Hatano said passionately. “Artists here remind people of the truth.” She said cutting arts funding is “absurd”: “I’m tired of being sad, mad, and disappointed. We’re not just funding the arts, but a vision of the world we want to live in.” Hatano’s was an appeal for all in attendance to contact their city council members and tell them, “Do not eliminate Oakland’s Cultural Affairs Division from the city’s budget!” A QR code appeared on an overhead screen for attendees to use for more information.
After introducing Maestro Kedrick Armstrong, Dr. Hatano stepped offstage. The lights went down and it was time for the first performance of the evening, Errollyn Wallen’s lovely 2007 single-movement “Mighty River.”
A lone french horn began the piece with a slow, languorous rendition of “Amazing Grace,” followed in turn by the beating pulse of strings and brass, then piccolo and percussion, bit-by-bit. (The percussionist had an incredibly difficult job, playing several different instruments at different times.) The slow build continued, joined by clarinet, double bass, and harp: layer upon layer until there was a confluence like flowing water. Nearing the conclusion, the sound of the french horn stood alone again, accompanied by a simple hand-played drum: gentle and beautiful. Maestro Armstrong took a bow and gave thanks to the audience for this final night of his first season as the Oakland Symphony’s Music Director.
After a brief intermission, the 110-member chorus were now in their seats onstage too, along with soprano Hope Briggs, mezzo-soprano Zoie Reams, tenor Ashley Faatoalia, and bass Adam Lau. Armstrong introduced Beethoven’s 9th by saying that Beethoven was living under an authoritarian regime during its composition (1822-1824), which Armstrong compared to the United States of today. “We’re fighting oppression with joy,” he said.
And then the tense, mellifluous strings of the first movement, the flutes and oboes high above, sonata-like, supporting the strings as a high-register anchor: the build-up before the intense punch of the tympanies. The middle portion of the 9th’s first movement sounded almost pleading.
The second movement, one everyone knows even if they don’t know they do (think scenes from Kubrick’s “A Clockwork Orange”) burst out with a rousing bang. The percussion was jolting; the many layers of the Scherzo: Molto Vivace fiery and energizing. I thought the principal flautist (Alice Lenaghan) and principal oboist (Andrea Plesnarski) were superb.
Then, the ominous beginning of the third movement: slow, lyrical, and elegant. The lull before the storm of the finale. Even from the balcony I could see that the four guest vocalists were deep in concentration, anticipating the showstopper to follow where their lungs and musical prowess would be put to the test.
Starting slowly and reprising elements and motifs from the first three movements, "An die Freude,” or “Ode to Joy,” blends the orchestra with the chorus, the cellos playing the instantly recognizable melody. Then, all of a sudden, a deep bass voice (Adam Lau) booms out “O Freunde, nicht diese Töne!” Accompanied shortly thereafter by the chorus—with those peculiar but wonderful woodwinds anchoring the bass tones—the soprano, mezzo-soprano, and tenor then joined in. All four were excellent, although I found soprano Hope Briggs’s voice just a tad off. But not every soprano is Emma Kirkby and I certainly don’t deny Briggs’s talent.
The audience got on their feet for a standing ovation. I don’t usually participate, but given that it was the final performance of the season and Kedrick Armstrong’s inaugural season with the Oakland Symphony, I got up out of my seat, too.
As we filed out, my partner asked me what a certain instrument was. I told her that it was a double bassoon (contrabassoon) and said we should go backstage so she could get a better look at it. But once we got to stage left, she got cold feet. I walked in anyway (though I probably wasn’t supposed to) but the bassoonist had disappeared. “She’s probably in the green room,” a stagehand told me when I inquired, pointing the way. When I entered, I was surprised to see Oakland’s new Mayor Barbara Lee along with Chorus Director Ash Walker, Dr. Hatano, and Maestro Armstrong. I got a couple selfies, and one of the group together. “Alles Bruder!” I said instead of “Say cheese!”
Someone corrected me, but the snaps came out nicely despite my bad German.
Bravo, Oakland Symphony! You brought us joy, bright spark of divinity at a time when it’s most needed.
