Orchestra gives flawless concert

The IU Philharmonic Orchestra is by far the most impressive of all the music school orchestras that have performed at the Musical Arts Center this semester. The orchestra played Beethoven's "Piano Concerto No. 5" and "Ein Heldenleben" by Richard Strauss with mastery Wednesday night. Each piece was around 40 minutes.\nThe evening's musical festivities got off to a brilliant start with the Beethoven piano concerto. Graduate student Archie Chen stole the show with an impressive performance on the piano. The concerto, played in three movements, was performed flawlessly.\nThe first movement was grand and majestic (hence the name "The Emperor Concerto") while the second was almost like a reverie. The muted violins in the second movement created a warm and soft sound that translated into an almost ethereal effect. This stark contrast between the two movements was one of the most appealing characteristics of the concerto. \nThe third movement contrasted with the second. The royal, majestic fusion of harmonies was beautifully rendered by the strings, wind and percussion of the orchestra. The concerto was characterized by the sudden mood transitions and tempo shifts typical of Beethoven.\nStrauss' "Ein Heldenleben" was in some ways more intriguing than the Beethoven piece. It was a 40-minute long movement without any breaks. This marathon musical session covered each and every human emotion.\nThe piece, a musical autobiography of Strauss, contained bursts of anger, humor and joy. The piece was wonderfully written to show off all sections of the orchestra, using every instrument to its fullest.\nThe concert was an overall success. While it might not have been the most technically challenging concert of the semester, it was certainly the best performed.