St. Louis is in love with its history. The 1904 World’s Fair—symbol of a time when the city was known as the Gateway to the West, sitting at the convergence of railroad and river traffic, sending and receiving goods to and from the rest of the country—is still a popular topic of discussion. And while
it’s been a long time since St. Louis was “first in shoes, first in booze, and
last in the American League,” the arts community continues to thrive, thanks
largely to organizations with roots going back decades.
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SYMPHONIC PROGRESSION
Only the New York Philharmonic has existed longer as an outlet for symphonic music
than the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO). Admittedly, its origin in 1880
was as the St. Louis Choral Society, but in those wild and wooly times,
classical music was still a contemporary force, and the musical repertoire
wasn’t yet limited to the master composers we hear today. In short, the public
wanted to hear singing, and if there was time for an unvocalized treat, so much
the merrier.
Under the direction of Max Zach between 1907 and 1921,
the Choral Society morphed into the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, and the
music slowly turned from popular material to works of art. When Zurich-born
Rudolph Ganz took the reins in 1921, he began featuring such terrifying
contemporary composers as Stravinsky, Mahler and Schoenberg; the audience
responded with disconnect and shock. By 1927 Ganz was gone, and the Symphony
built its reputation as a major player of standard, expected repertoire. All of
that changed under the direction of Leonard Slatkin, who helmed the SLSO
between 1979 and 1996—not that previous conductors ignored modern music, but
Slatkin made it a consistent feature of programs, and in the process evolved
the SLSO to one of the most respected musical institutions in the country.
Now, with the younger and very talented David Robertson in the position of musical
authority, the Symphony is mixing Beethoven, Handel and the now-accepted Mahler
with the likes of Rollo Dilworth and Tan Dun, while maintaining the high
caliber of interpretation for which the orchestra is famous. Since 1968 the
SLSO has resided in the magnificently refurbished Powell Symphony Hall, a
former movie theater and vaudeville house originally built in 1925. As can also
be seen in its neighbor up the block, the fabulous Fox Theatre, which houses
popular concerts, dance and theater, they knew how to build a hall back in the
’20s. Both these gems of the reviving Grand Center district are delightful
treats for the eye and the ear.
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GUIDED BY VOICES
The SLSO is joined at times by the St. Louis Symphony Chorus, but the real vocal
action happens each spring in nearby suburban Webster Groves with the annual
seasonal offerings of the Opera Theatre of St. Louis. Founded in 1976 by a
group of opera lovers, the OTSL is probably the most respected classical music
resource in the area. With a history that includes twenty-one world premieres
and twenty-two American premieres, the Opera Theatre has consistently drawn
attention from music critics all over the world. What’s more, all librettos are
sung in English, making it that much easier for neophytes to appreciate the
drama while satisfying the most intense opera fanatics.
The Bach Society of St. Louis has much to sing for
itself, as well. Established in 1941, the mainstay of its repertoire,
obviously, is the choral work of Johann Sebastian Bach, but it presents music
by just about anybody who has written for the heavenly sound of massed voices.
Sometimes the group can be found in Powell Hall, but the biggest thrills are
served when it performs in churches such as the St. Louis Cathedral Basilica or
the St. Francis Xavier College Church.
Along the same lines, there is the internationally recognized St. Louis Chamber
Chorus. The city is rich in architecturally beautiful churches and other public
buildings, and the Chamber Chorus moves around from venue to venue, finding the
perfect a cappella works to match each site. The organization has also been a
consistent champion of contemporary composers, regularly introducing brand new
works.
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AXMEN & AVANT-GARDE
The St. Louis Classical Guitar Society has been spotlighting world-class players on
the nylon strings for as long as anybody can remember. Their six annual
concerts take place in the acoustically rich Ethical Society building in Ladue,
Missouri. For those seeking more adventurous fare, the New Music Circle has
been actively promoting avant-garde and other contemporary musical forms since
1959. Its calendar is full of wildly disparate events in all sorts of venues,
from a Morton Subotnick retrospective in a community college theater to the
Semi-Acoustic Noise Ensemble creating original scores for silent films at the
St. Louis Art Museum.
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TURN IT UP
For sixty-one years, KFUO-FM has been playing classical music on the radio,
bringing the sounds of great composers and performers to the airwaves.
Nowadays, you’re more likely to catch a movement rather than a full symphony,
but it’s a great way to sample the wares of such composers as Wagner, Holst,
Ravel and Debussy. St. Louis Symphony recordings are regularly featured, as
well. You can listen online at classic99.com.
