Augustin Hadelich Album Review: American Road Trip
Written by Evan Whipple
Star violinist Augustin Hadelich recently released his brand new album: American Road Trip. This album features music entirely composed by American composers, taking the listener on a journey across America with its many classical music styles.
Augustin Hadelich was born to German parents in Cecilia, Italy. He has won many prestigious awards, including being the gold medalist at the Indianapolis International Violin Competition, as well as a Grammy for Best Classical Instrument Solo in 2016. Hadelich graduated with an artist diploma from Julliard in 2007, making his home in New York City; he later became an American citizen in 2014. Hence his new album American Road Trip.
As an immigrant to the United States, Hadelich brings a unique perspective to the musical traditions here. Raised in Italy and Germany as a child, he was unfamiliar with the musical traditions of American classical music. However, through his travels and performances all across the country, he absorbed these influences and incorporated them into his own playing style.
In an interview with The Strad magazine, Hadelich described the album as a “musical road trip” through American classical repertoire. America is often described as a melting pot of cultures, and Hadelich perfectly encapsulates this through his carefully curated selection of music ranging from jazz, folk, blues, country fiddle, and romanticism.
What was most striking about the album was the amount of diversity in the repertoire choices. It is truly a road-trip across the various landscapes America offers: featuring pieces from New England, New York, the Deep South, the Frontier, and the West Coast. It is fascinating to hear the stylistic differences between all of the pieces. The contrast between pieces like Amy Beach’s “Romance” compared to the wide-open roads represented in John Adams’ “Road Movies” or the “summer heat and religious rapture,” as Hadelich puts it, in Ives’ “Sonata no. 4.”
But why record an album of only American music? What is the value of such music? Despite the rich history of this music, it has often been considered second class to the traditions of European composers. This can be attributed in part to the historical dominance of European classical music, and the diverse and eclectic nature of American classical music. Hadelich explains this in an interview with The Strad.
“It is no surprise that in a country where so many cultures and worlds coexist alongside one another, there would be so many different musical traditions — so an American album is more diverse and varied than, say, a French album, where I feel that all the composers were part of the same tradition,” Hadelich commented.
Similarly to Hadelich on his new album, this semester the IAA orchestra will play a series of concerts all exploring different aspects of Americana through the music of American composers from many different time periods.
In an interview with Dr. Leslie B. Dunner, Conductor of the Interlochen Orchestra, he emphasized the importance of exposing students to the various styles and periods within American classical music. According to Dr. Dunner, “American music has evolved significantly over the past 60 years.” Through the teachings of Nadia Boulanger, who taught many 20th century composers, American composers began to embrace the unique soundscapes of their country. For example, Aaron Copland, a revolutionary American composer, was inspired by Boulanger to include “open fifths and open octaves” in his work, evoking the vastness and openness of the American plains.
The orchestra’s first concert on Friday, Sep. 20, featured music by Aaron Copland, Valerie Coleman, and Franz Von Suppé. In Copland’s “The Tender Land,” his distinctive style is shown with open sounds mixed with rhythmic and dance-like energy. Valerie Coleman’s contemporary piece “7 O’Clock Shout” offers a unique and timely perspective. Being composed just four years ago, Coleman wanted to make a piece commemorating the pandemic that swept the United States in 2020. There is a moment in the piece where members of the orchestra are instructed to cheer and make lots of noise. This was to represent when in New York City “at 7 o’clock every night, people would open their windows and make noise as a shout out to say thank you to first responders and healthcare workers,” Dr. Dunner explains. The inclusion of a piece by Franz Von Suppé added an international touch to the program, highlighting the global influence of European music on this style.
Dr. Dunner’s passion for American classical music is evident in his enthusiasm for the upcoming season. When asked which pieces or concerts he is most looking forward to conducting, he replied "I'm so excited for every single one of them!”
American classical music from all time periods has had a profound impact on the music and pop culture of today. Enriching the musical traditions of the European world with new ideas and techniques, its influence can be heard from rock and pop to jazz and blues. Revolutionary composers such as Copland and Gershwin have captured the spirit of our nation through their compositions.
By listening to American music, we can gain a deeper understanding of our culture and history. The Interlochen Symphony Orchestra’s program along with Augustin Hadelich’s American Road Trip offers audiences the opportunity to experience the unique beauty and power of this style of music.