Reviewer: Ben Champagne
Venue: The Temple Theatre
Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra at the Temple Theatre on May 3, 2024 with special guest Elizabeth Pitcairn performing Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto on the Red Mendelssohn Stradivarius
In a world where most of us are running from one obligation to the next, classical music asks us to stop. Not slow down—stop. It doesn’t fit neatly into the 15-second bursts that dominate our phones, or the predictable arcs of Top 40 hits. It demands patience, attention, a kind of emotional stamina. And in return, it offers something we rarely find these days: transcendence. It gives us space to feel something big, something ancient, something wordless. It asks us to listen actively—to the musicians, yes, but also to ourselves. So when a world-class artist like Elizabeth Pitcairn walks onstage at The Temple Theatre with one of the most fabled instruments on the planet, you don’t scroll or shuffle or half-listen. You sit up. You take it in. And if you’re lucky enough to be in the room, like we were, you remember what it means to be moved.
The centerpiece of the evening was Felix Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64, brought to life by Pitcairn and her iconic partner in red—the “Red Mendelssohn” Stradivarius. This piece is a milestone for violinists, not just because of its technical demands but because of its emotional range. From its haunting opening to the lyricism of the second movement and the racing joy of the finale, it’s an emotional tightrope act. Pitcairn played with precision and grace, but more than that, she played with fire. She gave the piece space to breathe while still letting it fly. The chemistry between her and the orchestra was palpable, and by the final notes, the audience at The Temple was on its feet. A standing ovation—earned, not expected. You could feel the room swell with the kind of shared awe that’s hard to put into words. That’s what live classical music can do when it’s done right.
The second half of the program dove into the sonic architecture of Bruckner’s Symphony No. 1. Anton Bruckner, who didn’t find wide success until later in life, poured his soul into this symphony, written in his early 40s. It’s a piece that lays the groundwork for the massive, cathedral-like symphonies he would later compose. But even here, in his “first,” you get a sense of the scale he’s reaching for—towering brass, sweeping strings, and an almost spiritual build. It’s a piece that feels like it’s striving upward. Unlike Mendelssohn, whose elegance and clarity define his music, Bruckner leans into mystery and magnitude. To close the night with this symphony felt like leaving the audience with something enduring, something monumental. The orchestra carried it with both muscle and care.
And then, of course, there’s the violin. The “Red Mendelssohn” Stradivarius was crafted in 1720 by Antonio Stradivari and is rumored to be the inspiration behind the 1998 film The Red Violin. It vanished for over 200 years before resurfacing at a Christie’s auction in the 1990s, when it was acquired for Pitcairn as a gift from her grandfather. The violin’s rich, crimson varnish gives it a romantic, almost mythical quality, but what makes it truly special is the voice it has—bright, warm, and impossibly clear. In Pitcairn’s hands, that voice became a character of its own. She has played this instrument for decades, and the bond between them is clear. It’s not just music—it’s history being carried forward in real time.
Mendelssohn himself was a prodigy—composing symphonies and concertos as a teenager, becoming one of the most beloved composers of the Romantic era. His music often sounds effortless, but it’s anything but simple. He was a craftsman and a visionary, blending structure with emotion in ways that still resonate today. Bruckner, on the other hand, was a late bloomer—a devout man with crippling self-doubt, who revised his symphonies endlessly in search of perfection. That contrast made for a compelling program: the polish and passion of Mendelssohn paired with the spiritual enormity of Bruckner. Two composers, two worldviews, one unforgettable night.
And here’s the thing—next season marks 90 years for the Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra. That’s no small feat. It takes vision, yes, but also sheer tenacity to keep a symphonic tradition alive for nearly a century, especially in a mid-size city in a rapidly changing world. Nights like Return of The Red Violin remind us why it matters. Because playing music—really playing it—and listening with full attention reminds us we’re more than just consumers of sound. We’re participants in something bigger, something beautiful, something worth preserving. It asks something of us. But it gives so much more in return.