Springfield Symphony Orchestra, Beauty Amid Chaos

Since shortly after the demise of the former Soviet Union through to the present day, Theodore Kuchar has served as the Principal Conductor of two of Ukraine’s most internationally recognized orchestras – the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine and the Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine.

Embodied in the dramatic opening and first movement of the epic de Hartmann Cello Concerto, the rise of the 1930’s Nazi movement in Germany with its persecution of the Jews, triggers by contrast fond musical reminiscences from the composer’s youth in rural Ukraine of Jewish folklore and klezmer music, evoking the romance of times and cultures lost. The chanting of the synagogue cantor is voiced in the solo cello cadenzas, and the haunting prayers of the Jews are heard in the second movement. The Finale portrays a dance spiraling to its unfortunate conclusion. Inventive and colorful orchestrations abound throughout the work.