On June 4, The Baroque Orchestra of New Jersey concluded the 2022-2023 Season with a bang. Accepting the challenge of performing perhaps the most difficult work yet, Maestro Butts and the musicans performed an exhilarating and deeply expressive performance of Gustav Mahler's magnificent Symphony #1, The Titan.
"It was indeed quite a challenge, Maestro Butts said, "but definitely one I think everybody was thrilled to accept. I think it helped all of us to stretch beyond our comfort zone and try something new for us. When the final notes sounded, I was so overwhelmed I could barely move or speak."
For this performance, BONJ principal flutist Laura Ferraro created a reduced orchestration which proved to retain all the power, energy, and beauty of Mahler's score.
"I've heard this symphony several times," a patron exclaimed, "and I believe it's the first time it so moved me, I cried."
"This is the 5th time I've heard this symphony live," another patron stated. "I have to rate it the second most memorably and moving I've heard. Of course, the first was the New York Philharmonic with Leonard Bernstein, so that will always be number 1. But the performance this afternoon really moved me deeply."
"This was by far the best birthday present ever," BONJ Vice President Lisa Young commented. "It had me in tears."
Maestro Butts programmed the symphony at Lisa's request, along with the requests of other board members. "Lisa had been asking me to program the symphony for years," Maestro Butts smiled. "It was really special to be able to finally actually perform it on her birthday."
The musicians, too, were excited for the challenge and equally exhilarated after the performance.
