Who's Your Favorite Composer?

We sat down with the BYSO Music Director, Dr. Teresa Metzger Howe, to chat with her about her favorite composer. This will be a reoccurring feature for the BYSO blog, so if you want to share who your favorite composer is let us know at marketing@byso.org.

For the longest time, when someone would ask me who my favorite composer is, I would always answer, “Chopin.” I discovered Chopin while in high school. I love his piano music with its exquisitely beautiful melodies, limpid ornamentations, and rubato tempi. His nocturnes, etudes, mazurkas and waltzes were all a joy to play. And his first piano concerto, played by Gina Bachauer, was my favorite record.
Now that my main musical expression is conducting orchestras, I would have to say that Beethoven has taken first spot in my heart. I have conducted his 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th symphonies and now, this season with the BYSO Youth Symphony, the first movement of his 7th symphony.
Many people feel that his first and second symphonies are “primer” Beethoven – that is, classical symphonies that are quite influenced by Mozart. I conducted these symphonies when I taught at Lakeside Upper School and they are perfect for a young, small orchestra. But even in the infancy of his symphonic writing, I hear muscular writing, dynamics used for surprise, and a propulsive energy.
His 3rd symphony, the “Eroica,” broke the mold, as everyone knows. The sheer length of the movements, the harmonic richness, the rigorous fugue in the first movement, the brooding second movement that takes a loooong time to unfold, the myriad of variations in the fourth movement all create a very hefty work. I conducted this symphony with Rain City Symphony, a community orchestra in Seattle. We were all exhausted by the time the last note was played.
His 5th symphony is famous for its “fate knocking at the door” motif in the first movement. While not as long as his 3rd, it seems perfectly composed – terse, exciting, but also lyrical at times. I conducted this symphony at Rain City as well and we fared better with it, although the vigorous fourth movement had us panting for breath by the conclusion.
The first movement of his 7th symphony was programmed by “popular choice,” that is, it had appeared on many “wish lists” of repertoire that I occasionally solicit from the BYSO musicians. I’m glad we played it. Its mighty first chord followed by a wistful melody is expanded until we reach the jaunty Vivace section. Then it is pure Beethoven – energy and muscle interspersed with relaxation until the rush to the end of the movement with the insanely high French horn calls!

- Dr. Metzger Howe