On April 16th, Symphony Hall buzzed with excitement as a sold-out audience eagerly awaited the arrival of renowned filmmaker Ken Burns.
Burns graced the stage to unveil his latest project, a decade-long endeavor titled The American Revolution.
Accompanying him were notable figures including Chad Smith, BSO President and CEO, Susan Goldberg, President and CEO of Boston’s WGBH, musicians from the film’s soundtrack, and a group of distinguished guest speakers comprising three Harvard history professors and Sarah Botstein, co-Director and Producer of the film.
From the outset, it was clear that the evening would be filled with thoughtful and engaging discussions, captivating the attentive audience, who was quick to express their enthusiasm.
In his opening remarks, Chad Smith highlighted Symphony Hall’s historical significance as a venue for intellectual discourse, recalling that it was here on October 6, 1951, that WGBH aired its first broadcast of a live BSO performance.
Susan Goldberg echoed Smith’s sentiment, underscoring PBS’s longstanding partnership with Burns, emphasizing how critical it is to remember the American Revolution in light of current political challenges that mirror those of the 1700s.
Throughout her address, the audience voiced their support for PBS, especially given its ongoing struggles under the current political regime.
The atmosphere shifted with the enthusiastic welcome for Ken Burns, who expressed gratitude towards both the BSO and WGBH for their enduring support.
He elaborated on the format of the evening, which would feature a multi-part preview of his new film, some segments still undergoing edits.
Reflecting on the integral role of music in his films, Burns recalled the profound impact of the violin piece Ashokan Farewell in The Civil War, a reminder of the emotional depth music adds to storytelling.
To demonstrate this, he introduced talented musicians who performed a suite of melodies from the film’s soundtrack, starting with James Scott Skinner’s Hector the Hero, arranged by Dana Lyn.
Surprisingly, Jean-Philippe Rameau’s Les Sauvages, arranged by Justin Messina, followed, a choice that proved to be unexpectedly fitting.
The performance continued with engaging Afro-Cuban rhythms by percussionists Michael Ringquist, Marcus Santos, and Mathias Kunzli, culminating in another Lyn arrangement featuring traditional tunes like Barravento and O’er the Water to Charlie, the latter being a jig originally penned by the poet Robert Burns.
Following this musical prelude, excerpts from The American Revolution were screened.
Even in their unfinished state, these clips were rich in content and visually compelling, showcasing Burns’s signature style.
A dynamic panel discussion ensued, featuring Burns, Botstein, and Goldberg alongside Harvard Professors Vincent Brown, Maya Jasanoff, and Philip Deloria.
The discussion delved into the film’s content and its relevance to contemporary society, addressing the pressing issues that echo the lessons of the American Revolution.
In closing, Burns introduced a talented ensemble, which included the celebrated Rhiannon Giddens.
Giddens offered a beautiful performance on the fretless banjo, singing with emotive depth, joined by fiddler Johnny Gandelsman and other accomplished musicians to create a captivating musical experience.
The postlude began introspectively but soon morphed into a lively collection of folk melodies, including a reprise of Hector the Hero and other traditional tunes.
The evening reached a poignant climax with an arrangement of Lament for Limerick, showcasing the harmony and skill of all the performers.
The audience was left uplifted, inspired, and deeply engaged throughout the evening’s events.
As applause filled the hall, exclamations of support for Harvard erupted, a powerful reminder of the institution’s resilience amid external challenges.
Ken Burns’s The American Revolution is set to premiere on WGBH and PBS on Sunday, November 16th.
On another note, John Ehrlich, the esteemed Founder and Music Director Emeritus of The Spectrum Singers, retired in May 2024 after 44 remarkable years of leadership in the Boston music community.
image source from：https://www.classical-scene.com/2025/04/23/burns-night/
