Lenox — On Sunday, March 8, at 3 p.m., the Boston Symphony Orchestra will send a contingent of seven musicians to perform works by Nielsen and Beethoven at Tanglewood’s Linde Center for Music and Learning.
Here is the lineup of musicians:
- Christopher Elchico, clarinet
- Josh Baker, bassoon
- Rachel Childers, horn
- Lisa Ji Eun Kim, violin
- Mary Ferrillo, viola
- Roric Cunningham, cello
- Carl Anderson, bass
The program for Sunday is as follows:
- NIELSEN “Serenata in vano”
- BEETHOVEN Septet in E-flat, Op. 20
Carl Nielsen’s “Serenata in vano” is fun to listen to because it is playful and full of surprises. The music jumps between loud, bold moments and quieter, almost joking ones. It is short and moves quickly, so it never gets boring. Each instrument gets its own chance to stand out, making the piece feel lively and lighthearted rather than serious or heavy.
Beethoven’s Septet in E-flat is popular because it sounds friendly and is easy to enjoy. The music has a bright mood and clear melodies, and the instruments seem to talk to each other as they play, with each getting its own moment in the spotlight. The piece feels balanced and graceful, making it memorable and fun to listen to without being complicated.
I spoke with BSO hornist Rachel Childers last week by telephone. Our conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
Rachel, you were the first woman to join the BSO brass section. What does that milestone mean to you today?
I’m proud to be the first. I never expected it, but it’s nice that in the 14 years I’ve been here, there are more and more women in brass sections. I think the BSO was among the last major orchestras in this country to remain exclusively male. And I keep hoping we’ll hire another one, so I won’t be so lonely. But it’s really wonderful. I got a lot of support when I was hired. I got letters from female brass players across New England saying how proud they were that this finally happened. I did nothing other than be born a girl to earn it, but I’m very proud of it.
What do you enjoy most about playing chamber music compared with performing in a full orchestra?
I like having more power. When you’re in an orchestra, so much of your job is to say, ‘Yes. How can I get that done? How can I get somebody else’s wishes done?’ Especially as a section player, not a principal string, not a principal wind. So much of my job is listening to what I need to fit into and making adjustments to accomplish that. But with chamber music, you have so much more control, and it’s more of an artistic conversation where, if you choose the right partners, you have an equal say in how things go.
How has chamber music shaped your career as an orchestral musician and teacher?
The most important thing I did in my undergrad was join a woodwind quintet. Horn players can go both ways: We’re both a brass player and a woodwind player. In a woodwind quintet, it is shocking to most horn players exactly how soft you have to play and still be able to sing and make music and blend. It’s a really special skill, and it’s hard to learn. I was glad to have the chance to do that when I was really young—to learn all of those skills. I use them in the orchestra all the time now. Of course, we brass players get noticed when we’re playing very, very loud. But the kind of soft, blendy playing, where you don’t overpower anyone, is the most useful. They say you win the job playing Mahler (you win the audition), and then you keep your job playing Mozart piano concertos.
For listeners who may be new to chamber music, what should they listen for in this concert?
I’m especially excited about the Nielsen. There are some lovely moments in the wind writing where you partner with the other wind players in ways that are kind of unexpected. And there’s a very juicy bassoon and horn duo that I’m looking forward to playing.
How did the group decide to pair Nielsen’s piece with the Beethoven Septet?
The Nielsen is not that well known. I’ve done it only once. A lot of times, you pick chamber music based on who you want to play with, so the repertoire may come after you’ve decided that. The Beethoven was an easy ‘yes’ for all of us, and the Nielsen is a happy coincidence, having a lot of the same instrumentation. They’re both classical pieces, and they’re both going to be very easy to listen to. But within that genre, they’re very different from one another. They speak very differently. So it’s a nice contrast and a nice excuse to play with this kind of weird group of strings and winds.
The Nielsen piece is playful and a little bit ironic. How does your ensemble bring that humor across to the audience?
Much of that playfulness obviously comes from tempo and sound, color, and a kind of buoyancy. So for wind players, a lot of that is making sure we are kind of light and bright and bouncy, right? With the Beethoven, some of the lines are darker, with more legato articulations, while the Nielsen, especially at the beginning, is very fleet footed. Players need to really be on their toes.
Is there a moment in the Nielsen that you expect will be the most fun to play or that will surprise listeners?
Personally, the most fun for me is going to be the wind duets with clarinet and horn and then bassoon and horn. So that’s what I’m looking forward to.
Beethoven’s septet was very popular in his own lifetime. Why do you think it still connects with audiences today, and what makes it fun for performers, even after many repetitions?
Well, for performers, Beethoven never gets old. You can constantly work on it, work on phrasing, work on balance. But the content is so good! It’s a real pleasure to play. I think audiences love the septet because you have this virtuoso violin part, and everyone always loves to see someone just kind of shredding away. It’s really exciting. And the sonority is beautiful. We’re looking forward to playing it at the Linde Center. I think it’ll be really lovely for Beethoven. It’ll be great.
Is Studio E a good room for that size ensemble?
I think so. It’s big enough, but it has a nice … It’s not boomy, so we won’t have to worry about covering each other up. I suspect the Beethoven will be possible to play with a lot of clarity in the soft bits, so it will sound pretty similar to a fully formed little orchestra.
If someone could remember just one feeling or idea from this concert, what would you hope it would be?
We want people to enjoy themselves and come away with a warm feeling inside, whether it’s hope for the rest of the day, a nice memory that has coincided with listening to these pieces, or just some positivity and time spent doing nothing but listening. I think that’s a really nice thing these days.
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At Sunday’s concert, the Tanglewood Learning Institute honors Literacy Network as part of “In Concert with Community,” their initiative celebrating local causes and building harmony beyond the stage.
