(Host) Vermont is blessed with many summer music festivals. Commentator
Stephanie Greene, a freelance writer who lives on the family farm in
Windham County, celebrates one that’s close to both her home – and her
heart.
(Greene) I’ve been attending the Marlboro Music Festival
for 50 years. My father first brought me when I was eight. To keep me
from squirming, he assigned me the task of counting all the bald heads
in the audience ahead of us. I wasn’t allowed to turn around, craning my
neck to count any behind us. And though my pate counts weren’t
accurate, they kept me quietly busy as the music did its magic.
Marlboro
Music was founded in 1951 by pianist Rudolf Serkin, co-founders Adolf
and Herman Busch, and Marcel, Blanche and Luis Moyse. Rudolf Serkin was
its Artistic Director until his death in 1991. It’s a utopian experiment
set on the campus of Marlboro College, and it’s a very successful one.
For more than 60 years, young professional musicians have gathered for
seven weeks each summer to explore chamber music with master performers.
Rehearsal time is unlimited. I learned from Frank Salomon, Marlboro’s
administrator, that the artists are not paid.
Along with musical
inspiration, the 75 artists share chores and meals. The musicians
themselves choose the pieces to rehearse. Of the 220 pieces in
rehearsal, perhaps 20% will ultimately be performed for the public. The
festival has also attracted acclaimed composers, including Samuel
Barber, Elliott Carter, Aaron Copland and Leon Kirchner – who helped to
establish a Resident Composer program here in the ‘70s. The resulting
excellence and joy of discovery are palpable. The Marlboro Music
Festival has been called the best chamber music series in the United
States.
Marlboro’s democratic spirit can be seen in performance.
One evening, there was a power outage. After hearing some rummaging
around backstage, the young pianist did the perfect double take, when
none other than Serkin, himself, came out with a flashlight to light the
score and turn pages. This informality and collegiality are pure
Vermont. If you can’t spring for an indoor ticket, you can buy a less
expensive seat outside, under the canopy, at the side of the Zee Persons
Auditorium. It affords protection from the elements, if not all
mosquitoes.
At intermission, you can hover outside the door,
city-style, or take a bracing walk up the road, under the stars. One can
also attend midweek rehearsals, which are free. The Festival’s presence
has even helped change the character of Southeast Windham County. It’s
evolved from a strictly white bread, small manufacturing town to
something more cosmopolitan- – a cultural center that now hosts several
summer music and theater festivals. Today, Marlboro continues to thrive
under the Artistic Direction of Mitsuko Uchida and Richard Goode, who
often perform with the ensemble as well.
This season ends on
August 12. It’s become a tradition to perform Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy
at the final concert Also performing are the Blanche Moyse Chorale and
any other interested singers from the area, who are able to commit to a
few rehearsals. It’s always an exuberant event.