A busy weekend
Whew! I can't believe we are in May already. April was filled with interesting musical events in the Cincinnati area and I have hardly had time to sit down and write. I need to take you back to the weekend of April 8 and 9 for two very different programs. The first was on the evening on April 8. The performance was by the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra under the baton of James (JR to his friends) Cassidy. The program was all Copland. In true KSO fashion JR continued the tradition of presenting good music in a non-traditional setting with a multi-media feel. The KSO is performing at the Notre Dame Academy. The hall is adequate but the acoustics are not ideal. Sitting in the very back gives you the best sound and view. Because of its small size the orchestra always plays to a full house which is a real plus. I often find my mind wandering as I look about the setting. The first time I attended a performance of the KSO in this setting I wasn't sure if I was in a movie house or a contemporary Christian Church. A film screen hangs on stage and information about the organization and the evenings performance. Trivia about the pieces and composers remind me of sitting in a movie house watching the trivia about stars, movies, and advertisements. Kudos to JR for this casual, yet, informative way of putting newcomers and regulars at ease. Nothing stuffy about this organization. I think it's a good way to reach out to an audience that might not otherwise be attending this type of cultural event. It also reminds me of the churches that advertise themselves as churches for people who don't like going to church. JR also knows the value of speaking to audience directly prior to the performance. Having been on both sides of the podium I know how much an audience appreciates the connection. But enough about this. Let's get on to the music. They opened with the original orchestration of Copland's Appalachian Spring. My score was the full orchestral version so it was interesting to look at one orchestration and hear another. It was very interesting to see how Copland filled out the work. The original is extremely demanding on the woodwinds. I know many of the players and was anxious to hear how they would handle the work. My seat for this particular performance was not in back. like usual, but I had been given a seat about five rows back from the edge of the stage. The overall sound was very dry from this vantage point.I was slightly disappointed in the sound of the opening phrases. I know that principal clarinet, Christine Todey, was probably not thrilled with how her opening phrase was delivered. She has a tremendous amount of sensitivity but I'm not sure she was able to deliver the emotion she was probably feeling. The work is not easy and all players are exposed. The most disappointing aspect is the inconsistency in the strings. Articulations, note lengths, and ending phrases was simply not consistent and when you have such a delicate chamber performance as Appalachian Spring you really need the sections to play as one. Prior to the performance JR told the audience that the original performance of the work could be found on YouTube. I did watch it and would highly recommend the version to anyone. The entire work takes on new meaning when you watch the original dancers/performance.
The program progressed to that wonderful piece titled Old American Songs. The vocal soloist was Kenneth Overton. He had a wonderful voice for the venue. He performed as if he was in a much larger hall that might have included a balcony since he often sang to an imaginary gallery. The first song, The Boatman's Dance, was a bit stiff but as the songs progressed the comfort level between Kenneth and the orchestra improved. JR is not the easiest conductor to follow and the size and depth of the stage makes it more difficult since the soloist actually stands somewhat behind the conductor. The last two songs in the cycle were by far the best. Most people can recognize the melody to Simple Gifts but few know the words. It was as if the audience held its breath for the entire tune as they listened. Mr. Overton delivered a deeply felt rendition and it was the most musical moment of his performance. He followed that with the funny and nonsensical tune I Bought Me A Cat. I have always like this tune because it begins with the trombone imitating a cat's meow. In talking with principal trombonist David Dunevant he was surprised to hear that I would consider it a meow. He had never seen it as anything other than a brief glissando solo. My thought and comment have given him something to consider when he plays it in the future. I think it's very important for players to have a visual image, something to add another level of being able to communicate the music to the audience.
Following the intermission we heard Copland's Symphony No. 3. This is an extremely challenging work for players and listeners. It is the longest work Copland ever wrote and was written for a very large orchestra. The KSO did an admirable job considering the amount of rehearsal time. The weaknesses of the ensemble were evident as they played but the power of the piece made them easier to ignore. The work is powerful and as a listener I was taken back to another time, another war, and you could feel the emotion of that time in the performance. I believe that everyone should hear this piece but not just once. It is a piece of great depth and while our modern ears are used to dissonances I think it is the compositional depth of the piece that calls for more than one time to listen. This is a piece in which you can hear something new each time and in hearing new things you begin to appreciate what you are hearing. Some people might not ever like the piece but the complexity of the work can be appreciated. I do not own a score to this piece so I borrowed one from the library. It is on my list to check out again and use when I listen to the work again and again. It might not be on my top ten list of pieces to take to a desert island but it is a piece that I feel allows me to know Copland more personally. I feel that he was really trying to say something and if I listen enough times I might hear a whisper. A difficult piece to listen to but worth it in the long run.
This was just on a Friday night! The next night I attended the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra with guest conductor Roberto Abbado and pianist Peter Serkin. I've got time this evening to write up a synopsis. Today will be busy with repertoire for my own summer concerts and a trip out to a school preparing for a special performance and they are in need of another set of ears and eyes.