Machover, Mendelssohn and Nante at the BSO

Under the baton of guest conductor Kent Nagano, the Boston Symphony Orchestra presented a thoughtfully curated program at Symphony Hall, blending classical staples with contemporary innovations. The concert featured two works by Felix Mendelssohn framing a pair of modern compositions, including the U.S. premiere of Alex Nante's Ein’ feste Burg and Tod Machover's already and not yet.

The evening commenced with Mendelssohn’s evocative concert overture The Hebrides, a piece inspired by the composer's 1829 voyage to Staffa, an island famous for its basaltic Fingal’s Cave. Mendelssohn's depiction of the sea journey is both atmospheric and dynamic, capturing tranquil moments and sudden storms with vivid orchestral colors. Nagano’s interpretation remained faithful to the score’s evolving moods, delivering a performance that balanced clarity and intensity without resorting to excessive theatricality.

Following the overture, the orchestra introduced the audience to Argentine composer Alex Nante’s Ein’ feste Burg, commissioned by the Dresden Philharmonic at Nagano’s behest. Drawing from the Lutheran hymn “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God,” which has deep historical and musical significance, Nante’s composition is much more than a simple orchestration of the chorale. The piece unfolds gradually, beginning with subtle instrumental exchanges before building intricate contrapuntal textures and culminating in a powerful coda that references a somber Bach chorale. Despite initial distractions in the hall during the soft opening, the work’s unfolding complexity commanded attention and demonstrated a compelling dialogue between tradition and contemporary orchestral writing.

The centerpiece of the program was Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 5, commonly known as the “Reformation” Symphony. Although composed in the late 1820s to commemorate a major event in Lutheran history, the symphony transcends denominational boundaries through its incorporation of various religious musical motifs. Nagano’s reading highlighted the symphony’s contrasting elements: the solemnity of the “Dresden Amen” and the martial vigor of the finale’s chorale based on the same hymn that inspired Nante’s piece. The conductor’s pacing allowed each movement’s character to emerge clearly, from the fiery Allegro con fuoco of the first movement to the serene Andante featuring solo flute and bassoon.

Closing the concert was Tod Machover’s already and not yet, a 32-minute work that integrates live AI responses to the orchestra’s performance as part of the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s “Technology and Our Humanity” initiative. Machover, an MIT Media Lab faculty director, conceptualized the piece in three movements exploring themes of conflict, awakening, and the emergence of a future democracy mediated by technology. The AI system, operated live during the performance, was designed to interact with soloists and the ensemble, providing variations and augmentations in real time.

While Machover’s work ambitiously tackles contemporary questions about technology’s role in music and society, critical reception was mixed. The first movement conveyed a sense of crisis through intense brass statements and mournful strings, but the overall direction sometimes felt mechanical. Subsequent movements featured solo winds prominently and attempted to develop a musical conversation facilitated by the AI, though the complexity of the interactions proved challenging to discern clearly from the hall’s vantage point. The piece concluded quietly, leaving some listeners uncertain about the extent of AI’s impact during the live performance.

Throughout the concert, Nagano exhibited a confident command of diverse musical styles, seamlessly transitioning between the classical elegance of Mendelssohn, the intricate modernism of Nante, and the experimental immediacy of Machover’s work. The orchestra responded with precision and sensitivity, underscoring Nagano’s long-standing commitment to contemporary music alongside the classical canon.

Historically, the Boston Symphony Orchestra has maintained a rich relationship with Mendelssohn’s works, having premiered The Hebrides in the 19th century and recorded the Reformation Symphony under Charles Munch in the mid-20th century. Nagano’s program connected this tradition with present-day musical exploration, inviting audiences to consider the evolving role of technology and cultural memory in orchestral performance.

The evening’s programming illuminated the enduring relevance of Mendelssohn’s music while embracing new artistic voices. Though Machover’s integration of AI remains a work in progress, the event demonstrated the BSO’s commitment to expanding musical boundaries. Audiences experienced a complex narrative of history, faith, innovation, and human-machine collaboration, framed by the expertise of one of today’s most versatile conductors.