There was not an unsold seat in Merrill Auditorium on the afternoon of April 23 or the evening of April 25. How do I know this? I could not get my usual complimentary ticket on these dates because there were no seats to be had. I was fortunate enough to attend a dress rehearsal on the April 22.

Was there some rock group or someone of the stature of Bruce Springsteen appearing? Nosiree. The occasion was the May concert given by the Portland Symphony Orchestra with their music director, Robert Moody making his last appearance of the 2016-2017 season. The occasion for this event was a performance of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony and the haunting Adagio for Strings by Samuel Barber.

Any performance of Beethoven’s 9th is an event in itself, at least for lovers of — what is incorrectly described as — “classical” music. While many would and could argue with justification that other symphonies by Mr. B such as his 3rd, 5th and 7th symphonies are dramatic, emotional works constructed with superb architectural care, the 9th is not the his last but also the greatest of his symphonies for a variety of reasons. The first movement is a case study in the art of musical development, the second a study in driving rhythm and perhaps the most powerful scherzo ever conceived, the third is a masterful theme and variations wed with a heavenly melody and moving orchestration. And the 4th? That movement is a usual piece of music and unusual as a movement in an orchestral symphony? And why is that? Well, for openers there is the inclusion of a mixed chorus (using text) along with a quartet of soloists. Never before was a chorus used in a symphony and there are only a few cases since.

The text is Goethe’s “Ode to Joy” with the repeated phrase “Over the stars a loving father MUST dwell. The word must (muss in German) was emphasized by Beethoven. Rejoice Ye Millions. Beethoven wanted to drive home an idea that would underline his thinking and he needed words to go along with his music and the combination of the two is what gives this last movement it’s power and majesty. Should you not be acquainted with the 9th symphony or any of the other symphonies (sonatas, concerti, chamber music, etc.) my one suggestion is go listen. I would agree that there are other great composers and other great works of music. Beethoven’s 9th is in a class by itself.

With regard to the performance of the Barber as well as the Beethoven. That I have praised Mr. Moody on past occasions is not a secret. However, he outdid himself this time. He conducted both works without score or baton. No detail was too small for him. Everything was important. The plucked basses in the 3rd movement is but one example. The playing of the solo winds, the violas and celli were exceptional. I did think that the timpani solo in the 2nd movement was a tad too loud. (Presented as opinion and not as fact!) The combined choruses of the Choral Art Society (Robert Russell, director) and the Oratorio Chorale (Emily Isaacson, director) were sonorous and well prepared. The quartet of soloists included soprano Mary Boehike-Wilson; alto, Margaret Lias; tenor, John McVeigh and bass, Phillip Cutlip. Of this group I thought that the ladies were more resonant than their male colleagues. Beethoven (like Bach) made little distinction between writing for voices and writing for instruments. There are numerous examples in this symphony. One is that the opening recitative for the bass goes up to an F above the (bass) clef and down to an F below it. The high F is fine for a baritone, that is and the low F is fine for a bass. The difficulty is that few bass soloists can sing both notes with the necessary resonance. Mr. Cutlip is essentially a baritone. The sopranos in the chorus are required to hold on to a high A what seems like an eternity before leaving it. The choral basses are required to sing (the word is velt) at breakneck speed doubling the celli and orchestral basses in a passage that spans two octaves. The only criticism I could level at Moody is the inhuman duration of the fermata on the word “Gott.” That was neither nice nor necessary I thought. Otherwise his interpretation, tempi and conducting were all of the highest order. When he leaves, wherever he goes, another orchestras gain will surely be Portland’s loss.

 —Morton Gold is a composer/conductor, retired educator and arts reviewer for the Journal Tribune.