We were first made aware of Andrew List’s composition by Jared Bowen on WGBH radio. To shamelessly quote from Microsoft News, “The Emerald Necklace” is a chamber symphony that spans 15 minutes and is broken up into three movements, each named for a portion of the 1,100-acre park system. The piece came together as a commission from the Boston Symphony Orchestra as part of its BSO in Residence Composers Project, a project started in 2017.
The first movement, titled “Man and Machinery Create the Jamaicaway,” relates to the idea of compression, employing a fast tempo and a fanfare of instruments. The second movement is titled “Evening at Jamaica Pond,” and embodies just that: a feeling of serenity as told through flute, clarinet, and other instrumental solos. To end the composition, the third movement, named “The Ancient Hunting Party At Spring Brook Village,” in what is now part of the Arnold Arboretum, depicts the long history of the land in terms of archaeological discoveries of materials used by indigenous peoples there. Each movement of the chamber symphony is available to listen to and download for free through a link on the Emerald Necklace Conservancy’s website.
Though the Emerald Necklace system remains open at this time, its website (www.emeraldnecklace.org) urges visitors to practice social distancing in accordance with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control. The parks can also be explored virtually.
