Even before their splendid music filled the place, it was the size of the Gateways Festival Orchestra (GFO), 90 Black musicians, that astounded. Not since a revival and celebration of James Reese Europe and the Clef Club appearance in 1912 had I witnessed such an array of African American performers on the stage at Carnegie Hall, though the GFO made its debut at the Hall three years ago. When the conductor Anthony Parnther strode on stage, he was greeted by many in the audience as if they knew him. With a wave of his wand, the program began with Antonín Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8 in G Major, Op. 88.
The 15 cellos led by the principal player Cole Randolph set the stage for brilliant, and often piercing notes from the flute section with Judith Dines up front. What followed was a seamless flow of melody at a rather brisk tempo before giving way to a slower, more reflective motif. To me, it possessed fewer of the African and Native American themes he showcased so vividly in his Ninth Symphony, “From the New World.” Even so, the four movements fully demonstrated the musicality of the orchestra.
Related: A long dormant opera explodes from its chrysalis
After the intermission, Parnther appeared more animated in his directions as he coaxed the orchestra into Damien Sneed’s “Reflections of Resilience: Five Spirituals.” The magnificent voice of mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges put a ring of resonance around her articulation of “Go Down Moses,” and it soared to an astonishing crescendo when she recited the words “to heal the sin-sick soul” from “There Is a Balm in Gilead.” There were moments when her dazzling lyrics matched her colorful gowns that shimmered with each movement of her body.
The program closed with the renowned William Levi Dawson’s “Negro Folk Symphony,” that he composed in 1934. At various stages of the three movements, there are elements of Black folk music that takes on a dance-like quality and then morph into a call-and-response between different sections of the orchestra. On occasion, you can hear the evolution of African American folk music from the field holler, to the blues, and a tinge of jazz, though it’s the spiritual and gospel elements that seem to dominate.
Dawson was widely heralded for his pedagogy in choral music, and the symphony is but a sample of his prodigious talent. With each swell of the music from the GFO, Dawson’s style and intuition about the music of his people are present. The only thing missing is that it isn’t performed enough. For more information, visit www.gatewaysmusicfestival.org.