William E. Ford, Ph.D.

Brief Reviews

2012-01-16T12:07:00.000-08:00

Music at Emory presented a recital by Timothy Albrecht playing the Schwartz Center’s Daniel Jaeckel Opus 45 pipe organ with fifty-four stops and 3,605 pipes in a cherry-wood case. Albrecht is Emory’s University organist. The program included works ranging from Bach to Keith Chapman. The highlight was Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in E Minor. This piece demonstrated the power of the organ in a warm acoustical environment. Liszt’ Hexameron also was a showpiece, especially for the bells and birds of the organ. Albrecht is talented and the program was satisfying. Given the quality of the playing, I can forgive Albrecht’s red tie and matching red socks.

“Music on the Hill” at Atlanta’s Northside Drive Baptist Church is a hidden gem. The most recent concert included the Piano Trios of Beethoven, Turina and Schumann, play by Olga Shpitko, Violin; Sarah Kapps, Cello; and Peter Marshall, Piano. The Beethoven was wonderful. The second movement is dark and cloudy, giving rise to the Trio’s subtitle “Ghost.” The surprise of the program was the Trio No. 2 in B Minor of Turina. He is an unappreciated and underrepresented composer who lived until the middle of the last century. His music is colorful and rather impressionistic. The Trio bears a resemblance to Debussy’s music, but that comparison diminishes the inventiveness of Turina. The Schumann was also skillfully played. The Trio No. I in D minor is a good example of the composer’s romanticism. The chapel at the Northside Drive Baptist Church is perfect for chamber music. The sound is strong, yet warm and reverberant.

A Wonderful Celebration.....

2012-01-14T12:50:00.001-08:00

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, under music director Robert Spano, presented its annual “A King Celebration Concert” to honor the work of Martin Luther King. The program included:

Beethoven- Overture to Fidelio

Traditional: “Elijah Rock”

Brahms: “How Lovely is Thy Dwelling Place” from “A German Requiem”

Schwanterner: “New Morning for the World,” with Narrator Mayor Kasim Reed

Dvorak: Concerto in B minor for Cello and Orchestra

The Spellman College Glee Club and Morehouse College Glee Club were featured in the Elijah and Brahms. Yo Yo Ma was the cello soloist.

This concert was sold out and broadcast nationwide. It was nothing less than spectacular.

The “Elijah Rock” piece was a show case of the strength of the two Glee Clubs. The agony, outrage, and triumph of the African American experience were portrayed powerfully in this piece. The scream of sopranos was potent and heartfelt. Special kudos goes to Dr. Kevin Johnson for preparing and conducting this piece.

The Brahms German Requiem is a magnificent piece, although some call it old fashioned, I find it spiritually moving and beautiful. It focuses on the sadness of coming to grips with someone’s death and it attempts to provide comfort for those left behind. It does not rely on Christian views of death and the afterlife, but rather Brahms’ own spiritual journey. The performance use a Robert Shaw- developed English translation of Brahms’ lyrics. I found this version to be a bit distracting; I like the mystery provided by hearing it sung in German. The combined Glee Clubs sang without much subtlety, but what they lost in finesse, they made up in strength.

I am not familiar with the work of Pulitzer Prize winning composer Joseph Schwantner. His website describes him as …”one of the most prominent American composers today…” and I will take his word for it. “New Morning” is an orchestral piece with interspersed spoken quotes from Dr. King. The work began with a focus on the xylophone and marimba. I was wary that this would be just one more not-so-memorable composition of modern composers that rely on these two instruments in combination with the tympani. But, the piece was effective and immediately accessible. It is not particularly melodic, but it uses the color of the orchestra to great and powerful effect. Narrating Dr. King’s words was Atlanta’s Mayor Kasim Reed. After each carefully timed (and Spano-cued) quote, the score provided a musical reaction of sorts. The only downside of the performance was the bugaboo of Symphony Hall’s acoustics and their inhospitality to the amplified voice. The magnificent King words were difficult to understand, which blunted their effect. Reed’s somewhat thing voice did not seem to enhance the solemnity of the presentation. But “New Morning” is a great work of tribute to Dr. King.

The second half of the concert was dedicated to Dvorak and YoYo Ma. It is difficult to describe the experience of seeing and hearing Mr. Ma perform. There is no doubt that he is a master, a genius, and a gentleman. I knew that I was hearing a performance that was electric and ecstatic. Ma plays with such deeply felt emotion that his face becomes transformed with ecstasy. I was transfixed by watching and listening to him. He has a proper mix of aggressiveness and lyricism, which is a difficult balance to maintain (one need only refer back to the performance of the Brahms’ Double concerto earlier in the ASO season to realize how a work suffers when a soloist does not achieve this balance). Ma was gracious at the end of the work, in a style that only the most accomplished and assured can pull off. He thanked Maestro Spano, and each of the members of the orchestra who contributed significantly to the performance. He actually walked around the orchestra and individually shook the hands of key performers. He gave special recognition to concertmaster David Coucheron, who played a wonderful duet with Ma during the final movement of the concerto. At the end of the performance, the audience leapt to its collective feet and shouted cheers of thanks. All 1700 patrons knew that they had just witnessed a performance by one of America’s great musicians. It was thrilling. Mr. Ma then took a seat at the rear of the orchestra’s cello section. He joined in the orchestra in playing a magnificent version of “We Shall Overcome,” along with the two Glee Clubs. This version of the protest song began with a plaintive solo by Ma which was eventually joined by the combined forces of the singers and orchestra. More applause followed in honor of the ASO, the singers, and Mr. Ma. This was a concert to be remembered.

It is unfortunate that Symphony Hall does not adequately support the sound of this great orchestra. I noticed that when soloists perform on the portion of the stage where a pit orchestra would play, the sound of their instruments become unfocused and almost “smeared.” In fact, Mr. Ma’s wonderful cello sounded more focused when he sat in the cello section. Here the sound board of his instrument faced the side of the orchestra shell and not directly toward the audience. Its puzzling how this would make it sound better, but from where I was seated, it definitely did. On my drive home, I heard an ASO recording of the Rachmaninoff Symphonic Dances. The recording sounded so much better than an actual ASO concert. My guess is that the recording engineers have found a “sweet spot” for the microphones that picks up a magic combination of direct and reflected sound. This adds warmth to the ASO sound and makes the recordings sound rich. It was a nice reminder of how great this orchestra is.

Polish and Schmaltz

2012-01-08T08:27:00.001-08:00

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, under Music director Robert Spano, presented the Beethoven Piano concerto No. 5 in E-flat Major (the Emperor) and Edward Elgar’s Symphony No. 1 in A-flat Major. Pianist Dejan Lazic was the soloist.

The Beethoven is a cornerstone of the classical music repertory. It is a stirring yet very lyrical piece, particularly in the second movement adagio. Lazic is a most talented pianist. His slightly awkward demeanor when walking on stage might mislead one into thinking that his playing might be equally awkward, but indeed that was not the case. Here is a pianist who knows how to play equally well a pianissimo and a grand forte. Too often, pianists boost the small sounds while toning down the big ones. In contrast, Lazic understands that part of the drama of this piece lies in the contrast. This also gives the orchestra a challenge, that is, how to not overwhelm the quiet and to not use its brute strength to overwhelm the piano at it’s loudest. Maestro Spano navigated the orchestra through this musical slalom with great skill. It is astounding that the sound of Symphony Hall’s air handling equipment was louder than a pianissimo played by the soloist and orchestra combined. The string section was also remarkable in the Adagio. They were warm, in control, and had great ensemble. This section of the orchestra is evolving and improving to a great degree. Even their involvement in their playing seems to be increasing over time.

The Elgar is a long (55 minutes or so) work that was once described as “the greatest symphony of modern times.” Unfortunately, the person passing that judgment was the same person to whom the symphony is dedicated, that is, Hans Richter. When a symphony is dedicated to me, I am certain that I too will believe it to be the greatest ever. This is not to say it isn’t a grand work is, but great it is not. If a work is going to require the listener to dedicate nearly an hour to it, then it ought to say something important and compelling. Like some of Bruckner’s symphonies, the Elgar seems to me to be in need of some editing. If it were a bit shorter, many of the patron’s who were snoozing through it might have been energized to actually attend to it. This aside, the work is a schmaltzy, inflated pastiche of late Romantic music. Elgar was not a major creative force like Mahler, or the great developer like Brahms. His music is the musical equivalent of the “stiff upper lip.” Elgar, best known for the “Pomp and Circumstance” marches, teeters very close to including similar march-like themes into his symphony, particularly in the first and second movements. While most composers reuse material that they composed elsewhere (e.g., Tchaikovsky often did this), Elgar’s borrowing might be due to a lack of inventiveness rather than to redeploying a worthy idea. Spano, conducting from the score, keep a forward momentum to the music, in spite of its interminable length. This is where a great conductor can show his or her mettle, while lesser talents can lose their way and only provide a beat (which was the case with the ASO’s recent performance of the Sibelius First symphony under a guest conductor who was a last minute substitution). Elgar’s music has a sometimes dark quality that emphasizes the low brass and violas. These sections of the ASO were stellar. The violas played with a rich tone, and the low brasses were precise and warm. Spano never seems to let the brass drive a piece, and he showed that skill here also.

The ASO has a grueling schedule- it performs nearly weekly, where other major orchestras perform maybe only two times a month. I admire the ASO’s hard work, as well as the vision of the orchestra’s management in adding weekly to the rich cultural life of Atlanta.

Finally, I have noted Mr. Lazic’s brilliance. I do wish, however, that he would have his biography edited by someone whose primary language is English. It currently reads like a bad Google translation!

More rapid reviews....

2011-12-20T08:01:00.000-08:00

More briefs:

I finally viewed “There Will be Blood,” starring Daniel Day Lewis. This is a great film, save the final third, which is rushed and compressed. While the end is powerful, it speeds along at a pace that far exceeds that of the first third, which is dedicated to detailed character development. But Day Lewis is top notch. He inhabits his character is a way that few actors can and do. From his raspy voice to his tension-filled forehead, he conveys without hesitation the anger that burdens his character. We are not certain why there is such anger, but anger there is and Day Lewis owns it. The cinematography is top notch and the sound track appropriately supports the story. This is a movie worth seeing again.

“Day, Night, Day Night” is one odd movie. It’s about a 19 year old girl who takes as her mission to become a suicide bomber in Times Square. We don’t know what her motivation is, or what cause she represents. Dialogue is minimal and even when she meets with her fellow terrorist, there is little said that would help us glean motivation. Her accomplices, whose heads are covered with sacks, help her fit her bomb device, give her instructions, and take a few dollars while leaving her just enough money to buy some food before the big event. They also supply her with a pair of too-large shoes, which make a squishing sound when she walks, although the Foley artists seem to have been carried away with highlighting the sound as she walks the streets of Manhattan. While on her mission, the young woman buys two large pretzels and assorted sweet treats. She tries to screw up the courage to do the deed, but decides not to. When she finally pulls the trigger, the device fails to go off. She attempts to call her contacts, but can’t reach them. The movie ends. Better it had been called “A Day in the Life of a Would-Be Terrorist.” This story leaves so much unsaid that I am not sure what the intent of it was, other than to show the mundane life of a suicide bomber. I suppose that has some validity, but it focuses the story on the humdrum life of the main character, rather than on any political considerations she might have had that prompted her potentially suicidal mission. I would not recommend this movie- it will be two hours invested that you will never get back.

The New Trinity Baroque presented its annual Candlelight Baroque Concert. The program consisted of:

Torelli: Concerto In G Minor, Op. 8/6, "Per Il Santissimo Natale"
Bernhard: Weihnachtskonzert "Fürchtet euch nicht!" for Soprano, 2 Violins and Continuo
Torelli: Concerto for Trumpet in D major
Scarlatti: "Oh di Betlemme altera povertà" ("Cantata pastorale")
Manfredini: Concerto Grosso No. 12, Op. 3 in C major ("Christmas Concerto")
Handel: Aria "Let the bright Seraphim" from Samson, HWV 57
Handel: Aria "Rejoice greatly" from Messiah, HWV 56
Buxtehude: Passacaglia in D minor, BuxWV 161
and
Organ Preludes by J.S. Bach, Buxtehude and Böhm

Conductor Predrag Gosta again programmed a series of works that demonstrate the strength of his musicians and soprano Wanda Yang Tempko. The sound of this group is so delicate and diaphanous that it is easy to loss oneself in the music, which for me, is a desirable outcome. Tempko is a perfect complement- her voice is strong and clear, but she never overwhelms. I was very surprised by the works of Buxtehude. They were hypnotic and a very early kind of space music that floats lightly and never lands. The NTB opens the door to Baroque music in a way that recordings never can. The delicate sounds of the instruments, which sound harsh on most recordings, mixed with the reverberation of St. Bartholomew’s Church in Atlanta makes the sound light, yet sumptuous. I look forward to every NTB concert.

“The Tree of Life” is the controversial movie by Louis Malle, starring Brad Pitt, Jessica Chastain, and Sean Penn. For me it was a brave new take on movie making and storytelling that combines brilliant cinematography, wonderful music, and careful character development. This is not a linear story and it uses images, some of which are created by special effects and others from the Hubble, to underscore emotional points, such as a mother wondering why God took her son from her. Pitt is perfect as a loving but overly strict father, who is frustrated in his life by an inability to get the recognition he feels he deserves for his invention. He is also frustrated by the fact that he did not become the musician that he really wanted to be. Sean Penn plays one of Pitt’s adult children. For me, his performance was overwrought and melodramatic. Chastain is luminous as Pitt’s cinematic spouse. She has few lines, but her expressions and movements say everything. The heart of the film is the relationship between Pitt’s two sons. The older becomes a rebellious and depressed boy who reacts against his father’s repression. The younger son, who dies at age 19, is a loving boy who idolizes his older brother. Malle’s recreation of siblings playing together is stunning. He sheds light on their maturating relationship related to trusting, loving, imagining, and appreciating life. I was particularly struck by the character of the younger boy. He had musical talent, much like his father, and his love for his older brother was touching. Even when his brother was threatening him physically, he said “I trust you,” and the older boy did not break that trust. The music chosen for the film was magnificent. The film ends with Berlioz’s Grand Messe du Mort. This achingly beautiful music that underscores the promise of reuniting with one’s lost loved ones. It was the perfect piece to conclude this grand reflection on youth, innocence, ambition, relationships and love. This movie may confuse, overwhelm, and bore but it will also create wonder and insight. It is one of the best I have ever seen.

More brief reviews....

2011-12-18T07:55:00.000-08:00

The new “Mission Impossible” movie is an intense, action-filled movie that re-establishes Tom Cruise as our national action hero. The film was shot in some remarkable places around the world, e.g., Dubai, Budapest, and Moscow. Regarding the latter, this film has some of the best aerial shots of the Kremlin that I can remember seeing. This movie has more humor than its predecessor’s particularly with the addition of Simon Pegg. The female lead is Paula Patton, who apparently can pack a punch as effectively as the men. Cruise (or a stunt man) does some incredible stunts, particularly off the side of the Burj Khalifa, tallest building in the world. I am not sure what was CGI but it didn’t matter, the effect was so exciting. The weakest cast member was Jeremy Renner. He doesn’t have Cruise’s action-hero star power, so he paled a bit by comparison. Lea Seydoux played a key role as a femme fatale who has the unfortunate distinction of being pushed out of one of the half-mile high Burj Khalifa windows. She is a beautiful woman and plays her part believably. I saw the movie in IMAX. It is a wonderful medium that increases the intimacy and excitement of the stunts. I recommend “MI: The Ghost Protocol” highly.

I attended a Broadway touring company presentation of “My Fair Lady.” It was well-staged and performed. I only stayed until after the intermission. In spite of the high quality music and lyrics, Broadway musicals, in general, do not engage me. And “I could have danced all-night” seemed to be inserted into the show, without clearly informing me about what Liza thought she should dance for. I probably missed something.

I saw the indie film “Another Earth.” The film stars Brit Marling and William Mapother (Tom Cruise’s first cousin) who has all of Cruise’s facial features, but not put together as well. Both of these actors were convincing in their roles. The story is about a promising young woman who has a bit too much to drink and drives. She hears a news report about the discovery of another earth. While behind the wheel, she cranes her neck to see the new planet and drives head long into another car, killing the driver’s pregnant wife, and the couple’s son. The driver is in a coma for four years, and she conveniently goes to prison for four years. As part of her redemptive process, she offers her services to him, post-coma, as a housekeeper. This was part of a strategy to find a way to say she was sorry, but instead falls in love with him. Fast forwarding, she wins a trip to the new earth. She instead gives the ticket to her lover in hopes that he might see his family again. This was possible through a plot device which said that the two worlds and their inhabitants lost synchronicity when the new earth became visible. He goes, she stays. In the final scene she meets herself in the back of her house. I liked the movie while watching it, but after about a week, it seems less compelling. The plot so stretches credulity that it seems mostly a contrivance. The notion that he might find his family again was so far-fetched that her self-sacrifice lost its punch. I was also distracted by the poor quality of the cinematography and lighting. I appreciate it is a low-budget picture, but think more could have been done it make it a bit more visually appealing. The soundtrack by Fall on Your Sword was effective in underscoring the storytelling. “Melancholia,” another recent release (see my review elsewhere) has a similar plot device, i.e., the discovery of a new planet close to the earth, but it is visually stunning and makes its point without having to stretch believabililty.

“Homecoming” has proven to be one of the best dramas on television. The plot involving a possibly turncoat returning prisoner of war is contemporary and compelling. Claire Danes is spectacular as the obsessed bipolar CIA operative who has no boundaries when it comes to protecting the country. Danes inhabits the character fully and the scene where she is in full-blown mania is realistic and convincing. The plot is full of twists and turns and it’s difficult to tell who is patriotic and who is a traitor. Damien Lewis is also superb as the conflicted returnee and Mandy Patinkin plays the depressed and possibly duplicitous CIA boss of Dane’s character. Morena Baccarin plays the wife of Damien Lewis’ character. She is warm, controlled, and beautiful. She was great in last season’s “V” and is equally good here.

Hallelujah....

2011-12-04T10:25:00.000-08:00

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra presented it annual performance of Handel’s Messiah. Norman Mackenzie conducted the Baroque-sized orchestra and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chamber Chorus. The size of the chorus was a perfect match for the size of the orchestra.

The opening piece was Bach’s Magnificat. It was wonderful performance that highlighted Bach’s genius for complex polyphony. It is a fairly short piece and every minute was well sung and played.

After intermission, the Handel was presented. The four soloists, who also sang during the Bach, were”

Stephanie Washington, soprano

Magdalena Wor, Mezzo-soprano

Richard Clement, Tenor

Gerard Sundberg, Bass.

More comments about them in a bit.

Mackenzie and the orchestra were in top form. The balances were correct, and the harpsichord played an elegant supportive role. It didn’t lead, as can happen when the conductor is not paying attention to detail. The Chamber Chorus is a marvel. Its diction is precise to the degree that it almost sounds like a single voice singing. The soloists were variable. The weakest was Washington. She had great trouble in the lowest range of her voice, and her sound was almost steely throughout. Clement was not able to muster the volume demanded for a performance in a concert hall. He was often drowned out by the orchestra and chorus. I do not blame Mackenzie for this. Clement just does not have a big voice. Wor was wonderful. She has a large voice that never loses its subtlety. She is in control even at the extremes of her range. Sundberg has a great voice that suited Symphony Hall.

Handlel’s music can be incredibly beautiful. “And he shall purify…” is a rapturous piece that reflects Handle’s own spiritual bliss. Of course the Hallelujah chorus is oft performed and is a great crowd pleaser.

For once, I felt that the acoustics of Symphony Hall really supported the performance. As I have noted in other reviews, it seems best suited to smaller ensembles.

Brief Reviews

2011-11-28T13:06:00.000-08:00

Brief reviews:

Atlanta Opera’s presentation of Lucia di Lammermoor was top-notch. I am not opera savvy, but this powerful story of madness and love was effectively presented. Special kudos go to Georgia Jarman who played the title role. Not only is she a good singer, but she was convincing in the role. The blood effects were also very well done.

The ASO presented a program that included Beethoven’s Leonore Overture No. II, Mozart’s Flute concerto No. 1, and Sibelius’ Symphony No. 2. I was really tired during the performance and thus I think I became a Grinch. The conductor was last minute substitution Alexander Mickelthwate, who was the ASO’s former assistant conductor. The flute soloist was Christina Smith. Ms. Smith is very talented and played the Mozart impeccably, but I found the piece to be rather boring. The Beethoven was played quite well- I suspect the ASO members can play it while half unconscious. I found the Sibelius to be a bit odd. This composer, like other late-Romantics, could wander off into episodic themes and melodies. Usually I don’t mind it, but I thought Mickelthwate’s interpretation to lack a grand overarching approach to the music that to my ear made the symphony sound like it was lurching from one thing to another. Again, maybe I was just tired.

The ASO presented a Pops Concert. I don’t like reviewing such concerts because I generally find that playing soundtrack music, Broadway show tunes and Beatles music to be nothing short of wretched. Thin music played by a bloated ensemble. But this recent pops presentation was wonderful and harkened back to the programs of Arthur Fiedler. It included such pieces as the Flight of the Bumblebee, Jupiter from the Planets, Also Sprach Zarathustra, the 1812 Overture, a medley of Puccini’s greatest hits, among others. The only nod to Broadway was a few dances from West Side Story. This music was played with gusto by the orchestra, under Michael Krajewski’s direction. There were also some great visuals to accompany the festivities. I was happy that I went.

Lake Lanier, November 2011

2011-11-13T06:57:00.000-08:00

A curmudgeon at work....

2011-11-12T11:46:00.001-08:00

Often after attending a concert, I am asked “What did I think?’, “How did you like it?” etc. When I have reservations about the program, or the performance, I try to honestly express my opinion. I am not one of those people who say “I tell it like it is.” For me that means the person is giving him- or her- self permission to be rude. Rather, I try to tell it as I see it- who really knows how it really was. When others give glowing comments, and I have reservations, I sometimes seem like a curmudgeon. So, I will be clear- when I review a concert I am sharing my perceptions, which doesn’t make them right or wrong, nor should another assume that their opinions are any more than that.

So that brings me to this week’s Atlanta Symphony Orchestra concert. The program included:

Britten- The Building of the House Overture

Brahms- Concerto in A minor for Violin, Cello and Orchestra

Knussen- Symphony in One Movement

Britten- Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Purcell

The conductor was Oliver Knussen. I had not heard of Knussen before, although I understand he has appeared with the ASO before.

The Britten overture was well played and again the ASO showed off its increasing virtuosity. The Brahms featured concertmaster David Coucheron and principal cellist Christopher Rex as soloists. The double concerto is one of my favorite pieces of music and it demonstrates Brahms’ gift for creating wonderful melodies and skilled theme development. The opening melody in the second movement is one of his most beautiful. Both Coucheron and Rex are talented virtuosi and can be expected to perform wonderfully. I have great respect for the skills of both. Now here is where I feel like a curmudgeon. I am very familiar with performances of the double concerto and I believe that this performance fell a bit short. It certainly was not bad but it lacked a certain cohesiveness that made it less that truly outstanding, at least for me. The problem was that there did not seem to be agreement between the soloists about how they should approach the music. Coucheron has a big tone and great control over his instrument. He plays with maximum drama, accentuating the passion in the work. Rex, however, seemed meek in comparison. Maybe it was due to Coucheron’s sound board beings perfectly aligned with my ear, where Rex’s cello was aimed directly at the audience. Maybe it is the tricky acoustics of symphony hall. But, the result was two distinctly different approaches to the music. In addition, it seemed that Rex was a bit shaky in the introduction to the first movement. Once, he warmed up, that disappeared. Singly they played admirably, but together, it was a bit unsatisfying.

Knussen’s Symphony is One Movement is a revision of an earlier Concerto for Orchestra written by the composer/conductor. There were several nods to jazz-like themes, especially in the trumpets and piano. I am not a fan of what is an essentially improvisational musical style being written so as to limit improvisation by the players. This symphony is not unpleasant and maybe with a few hearings I might actually like it. I was surprised that the composer conducted from a score. The ASO violin section was particularly strong in this performance. They played together precisely.

The final piece by Britten, usually know as the “Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra” was well played by the ASO. But I wonder why this piece is scheduled for a concert audience. It is simplistic music that is designed to show off the orchestra, but it seems like preaching to the choir when played in concert format. Fortunately we were spared having to listen to a spoken narrative abut each instrument or section of the orchestra. The brass and percussion sections of the ASO were standouts in this performance.

Knussen’s right hand is like a rapier when counting the beat. He was in control of the orchestra and they performed very well under his direction.

Lied me on....

2011-11-10T11:31:00.001-08:00

The Munich Symphony Orchestra played at the Lied Center for Performing Arts in Lincoln, NE. I had not been at the Lied for about 15 years and was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the facility. The auditorium, with a capacity of 2200 is painted in a warm terra cotta color. The acoustics match the warmth of the paint. I had forgotten how large the auditorium is and how the lack of large overhangs provides great sight lines. This is one facility where the inexpensive seats have as a good a view as the pricier variety. The stage also seems quite large, easily accommodating an orchestra and chorus. The hall is simple and streamlined. The light and sound rigging over the stage is finished in soft silver. This simple design should ensure that the auditorium should age well. The Lied lobbies, however, are another matter. They seemed cramped with very low ceilings. They are decorated in 1980’s chic and are in need of some updating. The entry to the facility contains the box office and two flights of stairs lead up to the main lobby. This entrance area is utilitarian and cramped. There is a woven wall sculpture which looks a bit old. A large oil painting of Ernst Lied, the benefactor for the facility, is in the stair well to the main lobby. He apparently looked a lot like Henry Kissinger. The architects of the facility seemed to have made the auditorium their priority, which makes sense. Lincoln should be proud to have such a nice facility. If only Atlanta could have as nice a facility for its symphony, but that discussion is for another day.

The Munich orchestra was conducted by Phillipe Entrement in an all Mozart program, although the orchestra’s website indicated that “Transfigured Night” by Schoenberg was scheduled. I would have preferred the Schoenberg. The orchestra was rather small. I am not sure if this was a touring ensemble or whether this is indeed as grand as it gets. It was about half the size of a typical orchestra. In the service of full disclosure, I must admit that Mozart is not my favorite composer. I know that all other classical music fans think he is the greatest but I think his music is predictable and, yes, a bit boring, while being very elegant. The program started with his Serenata Notturna, K 239. I actually liked the piece and the all-string ensemble played very well. The sound was warm, helped out by the Lied’s pleasant reverberation. The second piece was he Piano Concerto No. 12. Entrement, who first came to public attention as a result of his pianistic skills, was the soloist and he conducted the orchestra from the piano. This is one of those Mozart pieces that seems formulaic and rote to me.

The final piece on the program was the monumental Mozart Requiem in D minor. This is one of the cornerstones of the western classical tradition and it deserves the reverence for it. The Gloriae Dei Contores was the chorus, supplemented by singers from Nebraska Wesleyan, although the program was rather vague about this. The soloists included Valentina Fleer, soprano; Julie Cherrier, Soprano; Eric Barry, tenor; and Benjamin Bloomfield, baritone. Of these capable soloists, the weakest was Bloomfield who often could not be heard over the combine symphony and chorus. Entrement generally kept very good balances between soloists, orchestra, and chorus. The chorus was not so large as to drown out the other forces, as happens in Atlanta. The chorus sang with precision and had very good ensemble.

This was a very enjoyable concert. The Lied is a treat and the near capacity audience was grateful, did not provide a standing ovation after each piece, as happens all too frequently in Atlanta. Maybe the contrast is due to Midwestern reserve versus Southern manners.

Just one more small quibble- the Lied should lose the plastic trees on the stage. They are, if you will pardon the pun, bush league.

My short career in the movies

2011-11-10T10:39:00.000-08:00

Being an extra on the set of “Parental Guidance” was a great experience. Yes, there is a lot of downtime, and yes, I only had a few seconds of camera time (that may not make into the film), but I learned a lot. Here are my observations:

1. I am surprised at how much movie-making takes place in Atlanta.

2. I was surprised at how many people showed up to be extras. My estimate is that 200 showed up to be in the concert hall scene.

3. Seeing an experienced actor like Billy Crystal develop his line delivery through various takes was exciting. He became more involved in the character each time the scene was repeated. Bette Midler was impressive in her understanding of the timing of a scene so that its flow was more realistic and funnier.

4. Crystal and Midler have developed styles of walking through a set that keeps them from engaging extras and crew. I can understand that easily enough. Why would anyone want to say hello to all 300 people involved in a scene. Of course, the crew is used to seeing the talent more than the extras are, but the self protective style of not making eye contact helps maintain their privacy.

5. Breakfast and lunch were provided for the extras. I thought it was decent but others complained a bit about it. It was free, so I didn’t feel the need to be too critical. The crew had access to a buffet throughout the day. there is no doubt that extras are at the bottom of the food chain.

6. I am allergic to the makeup used. I was very aware that I had something on my skin; maybe with time I will get used to it.

7. The work day could last up to 14 hours. Both Crystal and Midler were on set most of the day. They didn’t retreat to a trailer. It takes a great deal of stamina to maintain that pace.

8. There were three child actors. One seemed to be about five-years old. Of course a child that age needs constant encouragement to stay focused and to tolerate the need for retakes. It is also important to allow them to be kids. But, this young made was told repeatedly how great he is by person after person. He also had people taking care of his hair and his clothing. He was hanging around with A-list celebrities and crew. It is no wonder that some of these young people begin to overestimate their value, and when they no longer have marketability, feel cheated, angry, and unhappy. It is easy to see why they run into problems as they age.

9. I was surprised at how each scene has to be planned so carefully and shot multiple times because of camera angles, the substitution of stunt actors, timing, continuity, and acting, including flubbed lines. I now look at scenes differently when watching a story, that is, I now appreciate how much went into getting it just right.

10. The good news for film actors is that don’t have to memorize long scripts before each scene is shot. Since each lasts at most a few minutes, it’s seems relatively easy for the actors to memorize the lines for the next few minutes of filming.

11. The scene I was involved with was filmed at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center in Atlanta. A symphony orchestra was on stage, and a violin soloist had to play a few bars of the Tchaikovsky violin concerto over and over. She had to stand for some time between takes. I was surprised that she wasn’t offered a chair. I have been tired of the Tchaikovsky for some time- it is over programmed in the concert hall. The repetition for the film did not make me like it any more.

12. There are a large number of people on a set. Each seems to know what to do next. Because I don’t understand the flow of work, I was wondering how each person knew what to do next, but I know that we all learn our jobs over time and we don’t need a road map on how to do them.

13. I admire the steadicam operator. According to one crew person, the camera and mount weigh about 50 pounds and seems to put a great deal of stress on the camera person’s back. The operator didn’t seem to wince once.

14. The lighting of the set seemed very white. I suppose that when it is photographed or when the film is in post-production, the light is softened.

I really enjoyed my short career as an extra. I learned a lot, and I also met many enjoyable people. I hope that I can land similar parts in the near future.

Lied Center for Performing Arts, Lincoln, NE

2011-11-10T07:35:00.000-08:00

Double Wow!

2011-10-30T08:16:00.000-07:00

Robert Spano returned to conduct the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra this week. The program consisted of:

Rachmaninov- The Bells, for chorus, orchestra and Solo

Salonen- Nyx (an Atlanta Premiere)

Scriabin- The Poem of Ecstasy

This was another exciting ASO program. The oldest piece was written in 1908 (the Poem). Having a concert that included music from only the last two centuries is a treat for those of us who appreciate newer music. But lest we get carried away, we must remember that both Rachmaninov and Scriabin were very late romantics, with the former being an unabashed romantic composer. Scriabin was more avant garde, not only in his music, but also in his inspiration than his one-time classmate and contemporary. Scriabin limited output was something of a mystic while Rachmaninov was something of a depressive, and their music reflects those two paths.

“The Bells” is Rachmaninov’s masterpiece and is a large-scale work for orchestra, chorus, and soloists, and has as its text, Edgar Allan Poe’s poem of the same name. The orchestra is augmented by an expansive percussion section, and an organ, which provides for some particularly chest-ratting pedal notes. The soloists in this performance were two Russian singers and one Israeli of Russian extraction. Tatiana Monogarova is a soprano and she sang the second section titled: “The Mellow Wedding Bells.” She is a statuesque woman with a wonderful voice. She is proof that all opera singers need not be plus-sized. When Ms. Monogarova sat down after her solo, she wrapped herself in her scarf with a very feminine flourish. It didn’t make her a better singer, but it was certainly elegant. Sergey Romanovsky is a tenor who sang the introductory “The Silver Sleigh Bells.” He too has a strong voice that only occasionally was overwhelmed by the orchestra and chorus (more about that later). He is a trim person and is proof that all tenors need not be plus-sized. The final soloist was bass Denis Sedov. He has a wonderful deep voice that did not sound boxy. He is very trim and tall. He looked to be nearly a foot taller than Maestro Spano. The Atlanta Symphony Chorus, under the direction of Norman Mackenzie, was in top form for this performance. Their precision is nothing short of amazing- it is if they sing with one voice. Because the chorus is so large, it has a tendency, at times, to overwhelm the soloists and even the orchestra. This may be due to the rather smallish Symphony Hall auditorium, but if so, the size of the chorus should be reduced. Nevertheless, this was a stunning performance that showcased so many of the great ASO instrumentalists. There was no section of the orchestra that performed with less than near perfect precision, ensemble, and intonation.

“Nyx” is a kind of modern tone poem composed by the renowned former music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic /composer Esa-Pekka Salonen. This piece was a co-commission of the ASO and other national and international orchestras and organizations. The piece also requires a large orchestra and again showed off the tremendous capabilities of the ASO musicians. It is sometimes difficult to review new works, since it’s often the first chance to hear the music. Structure is more difficult to discern, as well as the overall impact of the piece. There was no doubt, however, that Salonen is a master orchestrator- he knows how to showcase each instrument with music written to its strengths. “Nyx” is a dynamic piece that relentlessly moves forward. It never seems to lose momentum, which did not seem lost on Spano or the orchestra. Fortunately Salonen is not one of those contemporary composers who feel the need to make their music immediately accessible and hummable. This is not a composer who writes “smooth contemporary classical,” which to me is akin to talking about the bland brand of elevator music that has become known as “smooth jazz.” “Nyx” can be melodic, but it also can be gritty and challenging. It was a treat to hear, and the ASO was again on top of its game.

The final piece, The Poem of Ecstasy, is also written for a large orchestra. Scriabin wanted this music to reflect the ecstasy of love, dreams, and art. This is passionate music and it is not difficult to tell when the moments of ecstasy are represented. While it has moments of dissonance, it is still a late romantic composition. Using the classic Stokowski/Houston Symphony Everest recording of The Poem from decades ago, as a reference, I found the ASO/Spano performance to be clearly superior. The Atlanta ensemble is more skilled and Spano’s interpretation seemed to amp up the emotionality of the piece quite a bit. This was a sparkling and rousing performance.

These past two ASO concerts have been outstanding and they highlight some remarkable directions in the orchestra. The first is that the string sections have increased significantly their tonal quality and also their precision. Their phrasing is precise and in unison. These sections are so much improved over the sometimes-ragged performances of just a few years ago. The woodwinds remain one of the strongest sections of the orchestra, and the brass sections have greatly improved also. There is no doubt that Music Director revels in contemporary works. The intensity of his conducting increases when playing newer music and he seems more in control of his forces. He is also to be credited for his support of contemporary music such as “Nyx.”

When I attended the concert, the house was nowhere close to capacity. My guess is that the lack of the easy-listening top ten classical composers kept patrons away. But those who stayed appreciated what they were experiencing and gave repeated curtains calls after the Scriabin, as well as standing ovations after the earlier pieces. These performances deserved those kinds of accolades and it was wonderful to see the audience be so receptive to such a program. The ASO and Spano are taking “Nyx” to Carnegie Hall. New Yorkers are in for a treat.

Do clones have souls?

2011-10-25T07:38:00.000-07:00

The Atlanta Ballet presented a program consisting of “The Four Seasons,” and “Eden/Eden.”

The Vivaldi- composed “Four Seasons” piece was choreographed by James Kudelka. Its program is not so original, this is, each season represents the phases of a person’s life, from birth (Spring) to decline and death (Winter). Kudelka avoided making his work a serious melodrama. At times, he had his dancers, both male and female, en pointe, holding their arms parallel to the floor, as if they were looking down at the earth from some vantage point in the sky. His choreography briefly referenced modern street moves, which added a bit of humor. The piece, while not particularly challenging for the viewer, as was last year’s “Rite of Spring,” was enjoyable and masterfully danced. The live orchestra was a welcome addition.

“Eden/Eden” comprised the second half of the performance. It was choreographed by Wayne McGregor and “… places the role of technology at the heart of an evolutionary and cautionary tale about the ethics of surrounding the human body.” The story deals with issues related to cloning and the notion that there are many Edens, that is, the place where life beings. Steve Reich’s spoken libretto/ musical score was from his filmed-based opera “Three Tales.” I am a fan of Reich’s repetitive hypnotic music, so it use by McGregor was particularly gratifying for me. The staging was very effective. It ranged from an opening scrim-projection of a light morphing into disconnected computer-like messages, to a traditional “Tree of Knowledge” in the first scene, and finally, to green lighting that recalled the iconic computer code from the “Matrix” movies. The dancers appeared to be nude as they arose through the stage floor, and gradually added garments about toward the latter half of the piece. The music, staging, and choreography combined to make a stark, challenging piece that attempted to address issues of the relationship between various states-of-being, such as whether human clones have souls. (The film “Never Let Me Go” powerfully deals with this issue also.) To the degree that dance can shed light on such issues, “Eden/Eden” did so for me. It was stark and wonderfully choreographed and performed.

The Atlanta Ballet dancers were wonderful in “Eden/Eden.” The work challenged them and they were up to it.

One side note- it seemed to me that the smaller male dancers were able to convey greater strength in their moves. I noticed this particularly in “Eden/Eden” where the dancers were required to make semi-circular arm movements, with their shoulder as the pivot point. Maybe it’s because shorter-limbed dancers have less space to cover, but their arm movements looked stronger and more controlled than those of the taller dancers. I said it was a side note!

Wow!

2011-10-25T06:44:00.000-07:00

The Atlanta Symphony, conducted by Miguel Harth-Bedoya presented a concert with three familiar showcases for orchestra and soloist. The program included:

Rimsky-Korsakov- Capriccio Espagnol, Op. 34

Rachmaninov- Piano Concerto No. 2

Mussorgsky-Ravel-Pictures at an Exhibition

The piano soloist was Horacio Gutierrez.

This is the kind of program that the Philadelphia under Ormandy would present. Ormandy knew how to draw in the crowds and how to show off the skill of his wonderful musicians. He scheduled such works repeatedly, apparently without reservation. He knew that his orchestra was spectacular when playing such compositions pieces, which often require the use of a very large ensemble. It was a pleasure to hear the ASO play these three works, which enabled it to demonstrate its skill.

Gutierrez was masterful in the Rachmaninov. He plays with a big, but not overwhelming sound. For the most part, the balance between the soloist and orchestra was on target. It was an immensely satisfying performance.

Ravel’s orchestra of Mussorgsky’s Pictures is sometimes startling in the way that it showcases the sections of the orchestra. Had it not been based on a familiar solo piano work, it might have been called a concerto for orchestra. The piece pays homage to the paintings of Viktor Hartmann, a friend of Mussorgsky. Much of Hartmann’s work has been lost or destroyed, so we do not have them as a reference, but Ravel’s skill at orchestration made each of the ten paintings on which the piece is based come to life.

Each piece on the program highlighted various players in the orchestra. Special recognition should go to David Coucheron, concertmaster; Laura Ardan, principal clarinet; Christina Smith, principal flute; Michael Moore, principal tuba; Elisabeth Remy Johnson, principal harpist; the entire percussion section; Mark Yancich, principal timpani; Christopher Rex, principal cello; and the English Horn player, whose name I could not locate in the ASO program.

Miguel Harth-Bedoya is music director of the Fort Worth Symphony. Like his counterpart at the Dallas Symphony, Jap Van Zweden, Harth-Bedoya strongly signals his intentions to the players. He controls the dynamics with both his hands and face. His baton provides a precise beat and he conducted the program from memory. The ASO seems to respond well to leaders who take a strong hand, judging by their performance with Van Zweden last season and Harth-Bedoya this season.

If I was CEO of an orchestra and I had to develop a short-list of candidates to become a music director, these two fine conductors would be on it. (This would only be the case, of course, if the current Music Director was being discussed as a candidate for a more prestigious post- say like in Boston.) Van Zweden might not see the ASO as a step up from Dallas, but Harth-Bedoya might see it differently from his Forth Worth vantage point.

This was a great concert and the audience appreciated it, although in Atlanta, the audience seems to appreciate everything, given the number of standing ovations it is willing to give. In this case, the SO was deserved.

Photos of My Trip to China

2011-10-14T07:40:00.000-07:00

Here are links to all of my photos:

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A worthwhile investment

2011-10-11T14:07:00.000-07:00

“Melancholia” is a movie directed by Lars von Trier and stars Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbour, and Keifer Sutherland. It’s the story of the reaction of two sisters to the impending collision of the earth with another planet. Never mind the whole planet collision gimmick, but rather focus on the main characters. Dunst plays Justine, a woman with a major depression. She makes her wedding a fiasco with her hopelessness and helplessness. She is anhedonic and, at times, almost catatonic. She drives her new husband away at the conclusion of her wedding. Justine’s sister Claire is together and strong. Yet when faced with impending doom, their strengths become weaknesses and their weaknesses become strengths.

The cinematography is beautiful. The soundtrack mostly relies on the beautiful Prelude to “Tristan and Isolde” by Wagner, but it is punctuated at times with a low rumbling. It is very effective.

Dunst is superb. If she doesn’t get nominated for one of the major awards, I will be greatly disappointed. She understands depression and how devastating it can be. Of course, it’s no coincidence that the name of the planet taking aim at earth is called Melancholia.

This movie has yet to be released to theaters, but is having a preliminary showing OnDemand. This is a great film, save the action taken by Sutherland’s character that seems contrived. But it worth spending two hours to understand how our strengths and weaknesses are two-edged swords, depending on the circumstances.

A poor investment

2011-10-11T13:50:00.000-07:00

I am one of the few people who have gone to see the Taylor Lautner film-“Abduction.” I went because it was filmed in Pittsburgh and I want to see how the hometown looks in a movie. I have no idea why others would go. The story is about how a young man finds out that his parents were not his birthparents and that somehow it relates to some international espionage thing. I couldn’t really follow it but no matter. Lautner seems like a nice person, but he simply doesn’t have the gravitas to enable him to carry an entire picture. His voice sounds a bit boyish, but he does have great biceps, His girlfriend is played by Lily Collins. She has hairy eyebrows and hair that has that needs-to-be-washed look. Her father is Phil Collins, but he wasn’t in the movie. John Singleton was the director and he wasn’t in the movie either. Alfred Molina plays a heavy because he is heavy.

The house where Lautner’s character lives is located in the Mt. Lebanon suburb of Pittsburgh. The house appears to be mid-century but is decorated with cheap round lights from IKEA. Really.

A particularly funny portion of the movie involves the two lead characters taking a train from Pittsburgh to Omaha. That would take just short of a week, given the train schedules of both cities.

The cinematography is pretty bad. The colors are over saturated with little softening of the focus. Thus, on close-ups, it’s plain to see that Lautner needs Pro-Activ, even when his skin is covered with makeup.

In one scene, our leads must swim into one of the famous Pittsburgh rivers. After their dunking, they fall asleep on the shore of the river. The next morning they wake up but now they are beside a rust colored stream. Who is responsible for continuity? The two also are running through a wooded area and just at the margin of the shot are two discarded tires. Couldn’t they have picked them up before the shot?

So how does the ‘Burgh look? Actually I didn’t think it looked so good. Because of the style of photography I thought it looked sort of like Mr. Lautner’s complexion, that is, it needed bit of soft focus. It’s fun to watch how filmmakers juxtapose areas in a city that are nowhere near each other, or how buildings that have one use are made to have another for the storyline. I noticed also that many of the close-ups were angled to take advantage of the city’s great architecture. I will give Singleton credit for that anyway.

I realize that watching this movie cost me 2 hours that I will never get back.

A work in progress.....

2011-10-11T11:12:00.000-07:00

Mei-Ann Chen conducted the ASO in two concerts, October 6 and 8. Ms. Chen has become something of the next great thing in conducting circles for several reasons: she is a woman in a male-dominated profession, she has turned around the fortunes of the Memphis Symphony, and she seems competent.

The following comprised the program:

Abels- Gobal Warming

Ravel- Piano Concerto in G Major, with Terrence Wilson as soloist

Franck- Symphony in D Minor

The Abels piece was commissioned by the Phoenix Symphony Guild and was premiered by the Phoenix Youth Symphony. The composer has some notion of how the music relates to global warming, as described in the ASO program, but it seems that he wrote the music and then came up with a title. The piece has an Irish melody and then one from the Middle East. These themes are swirled around and bounced from here to there. But, to me, it should have been the soundtrack to a TV travel documentary. It is uninspired music that seems better suited to the Verizon Amphitheater with its huge screen than to symphony hall. I can see why its premiere was with the youth symphony rather than the Phoenix symphony. It received a nice reception from the audience.

The Ravel Concerto seems almost a transitional piece from his early impressionistic compositions to a harder edged-jazz influenced piece. (Given Ravel’s penchant for rouge and satin robes, I am not sure how hard-edged he really could be, but I digress). In fact, Frenchman Ravel was a fan of jazz, and felt that Americans simply did not appreciate their home-grown music. Apparently he and George Gerswhin frequented jazz clubs in Harlem to take in the atmosphere and the music. It’s probably worthy of note here that even today the French are bigger fans of jazz that Americans. The soloist and orchestra were well-matched partners. Chen and Wilson seemed to follow each other carefully so the performance came together well. The second movement, which relies heavily on the pianist, seemed rather leaden to me. Wilson does not have a big tone, but surprisingly he doesn’t have a particularly light tone either.

The Franck piece is in the standard repertory, but is not heard all that often. The last Atlanta performance was in 1994. I like this piece and can remember hearing played by the Philadelphia Orchestra under Ormandy. No doubt that it was a sumptuous performance. For me now, the work seems a bit bloated and it could tolerate being edited down by about 10 minutes. Chen was interesting. At times, I could not tell what piece she was conducting since her baton movements had little to do with the music being played. The ASO, being professionals, ignored her and went on, although the trumpets came perilously close to coming apart in the first movement. Also, the final chord of the first movement was nothing short of disastrous. No one was together. I fault Chen totally for this, since her final baton instruction was indecisive. The ASO perform wonderfully throughout. Special recognition should go to the trumpets, trombones, woodwinds, violins and basses. They sounded first rate especially in the finale.

My conclusion is that Chen is a work in progress.

All too fmailiar....

2011-10-11T10:35:00.000-07:00

Joshua Bell

On October 2, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, under Music Director Robert Spano, presented a program that included:

Golijov- Sidereus, Overture for Small Orchestra

Tchaikovsky- Concerto in D Major for Violin and Orchestra, with Joshua Bell as soloist

Brahms- Symphony No.4 in E Minor

Golijov is one of Spano’s Atlanta School of Composers and “Sidereus” was Co-commissioned by the ASO. Like his counterparts in the Atlanta School, his music is listenable and does not challenge the ear. I like his music better than what I consider to be the bland music of his colleagues. “Sidereus” begins with a theme that seems somehow not just right. The orchestra seems unraveled and not together, but as the music builds, by the middle of the piece, the whole business comes together in a pleasant piece. The ASO did a fine job with the music and everyone seemed happy.

Then came Joshua Bell. No surprise here- he played the Tchaikovsky as if it were his second skin. My guess is that he could be half conscious and play it well. The ASO played a supportive role and acquitted itself quite well. My only objection to the performance was that this concerto was played only last April in Symphony Hall by the ASO and Sergei Krylov. With Bell’s extensive repertory, I wonder why it was necessary for us to hear this all-too-familiar work again. I assume it was programmed in order to sell tickets. I must admit I have grown so tired of this warhorse that even a great performance feels old and tired. The audience, however, loved it. There was applause after each movement, which gave Bell the chance to wipe his brow.

The Brahms Fourth, while beautiful, is, for me, the weakest of this great composer’s symphonies. There are times in it where the transitions between sections seem worn out and not of the highest order. That aside, this piece provided ample opportunity for the best of the ASO to show through. The trumpets, strings, and woodwinds sounded magnificent. Spano’s interpretation did not provide new insights into the work, but it was a grand performance. The audience applauded in between movements also.

There was the requisite standing ovation at the end of the performance. Atlantans are always courteous, if a bit over -exuberant. But if this kind of programming and performances will pack the house, then I am all for it.

My trip to China

2011-10-11T08:41:00.000-07:00

My nine days in China were close to a perfect experience. I was fortunate to have a tour that provided an individual tour guide and driver in the three cities I visited (Beijing, Xi’an, and Shanghai). I also gained insight into china, its history, and its current status. I have a few overall observations about China:

The three cities I visited had a combined population of about 60 million people. There were cars, motorbikes, regular bikes, and pedestrians all vying for limited street space. It seems that the bikes and pedestrians are not required to follow the rules established for autos. Going through an intersection requires great vigilance in order not to be hit. I continually told my guides that I could not drive in China, and they could not understand how orderly driving in the US is.

· There are so many people that the Chinese tend to react to others either as not being there or as an obstacle to be removed. One is a fool to stand in line and say “you first,” because then people would move in. Queuing up means being aggressive toward others who inevitably want to move in front of the line.

· The Chinese tend to view their government much like we view ours. Most of the time it doesn’t interfere in daily living, but it does want its cut of your pay. This is so different than what our government has portrayed for us. There were no pointed rifles and no nationalistic slogans everywhere. I only saw one portrait of Mao. This is not the Red China that we have been propagandized to expect. There are few police to be seen, and the military presence is no greater that what I experience in the US. There are cameras everywhere. Since no one could possibly be watching the output of each camera, I assume they are there in case something happens and the video is needed for retrospective reviews. I assume the same is true in the US, where the number of cameras has increased dramatically since 9/11.

· Apparently 95% of Chinese subscribe to no religion; the 5% who do seem to practice their faiths without interference by the government.

· The three cities I visited seemed fairly wealthy, but the emerging middle class struggles with high prices and low salaries. Of course, the poor struggle more. Apparently, once outside of the major cities, poverty becomes more prevalent and evident. The three cities I visited are generally very prosperous but signs of urban poverty are there if you look hard. Most Chinese live in apartments- individual dwellings are rare. Most of the apartments have automatic washers, but dryers are few. As a result, even fairly high end apartments have clothes hanging outside on the balcony.

· The oldest part of Beijing, the Hutang neighborhood, was almost destroyed in the rush to modernize. The government has committed to remaining this neighborhood, especially since many elders choose to remain in it rather than to move into the high rises. The residences are very small with a living room, small dining and kitchen, with bedrooms sometimes on a second floor. There are common toilet facilities. I had the chance to eat in the home of a Hutang family. It was a highlight of the trip. They were gracious and proud.

· The air in all three of the cities was seemed polluted, but Shanghai was better than the other two.

· Beijing astonished me with its modernism, bold architecture, good urban design, and size. I was not expecting the city to be as large as it is.

Th The area around the Olympic site was particularly striking. It took about 2 hours to drive from the city center to where there were no tall buildings. The traffic was terrible, and the distance seemed substantial. The Great Wall was anything but a private affair. There were hoards of people in and around the Wall.

· Shanghai is a jewel, especially at night when its buildings are lighted with some pretty impressive displays. There a huge LED screens, as well as lighting systems that flash and dart light across buildings. There are tourists boats outlined in neon in bright colors. The boats themselves are styled as a dragon, a Mississippi River boat, a pirate ship, and many others. I think, in the US, we would consider it too Las Vegas for an average city, but I found it to be exciting and exhilarating. To see Chinese photographers lined up on the Bund with their cameras aimed across the river to capture the spectacular lights demonstrated to me how much they enjoy the city.

· Especially in Beijing, the side streets have wonderful tree canopies. The freeways are also lined with trees, shrubs and flowers. In addition to barriers, the medians are landscaped with rose bushes, flowers, and shrubs. The Chinese seem to get how important the landscape can be to provide calm in the midst of the city’s energy.

· I was really impressed with most of the architecture. It is not nearly as garish as the buildings in other “new” cities, such as Dubai. In fact, there were buildings like the Shanghai JW Marriott and the Central Chinese Television Building and new concert hall in Beijing that are stunning in their simplicity, and grace in spite of being very large.

· Clothing seems to be used mostly to cover the body. It doesn’t seem to have the “status functions” as in the US. Here we use clothing to cover but also to indicate our affiliations, e.g., social status, skaters, urban, preppie, etc. Since everyone seems to dress the same in China, there is little differentiation of status, except in the business areas, where suits are typical. Even with the high-end shops available, I didn’t see much high-end on the streets.

· Chinese citizens are not allowed to own guns. This protects them from each other and protects the government from them. Apparently there is a fair amount of physical violence, however. I saw two arguments in the street that were escalating to pushing and shoving- both with a crowd of watchers.

W While not wanting to draw this too broadly, the Chinese culture seems to be somewhat asexual, at least in comparison to the US. While we proclaim our Puritanism publicly, our TV shows, advertising, and music videos are full of sexually tinged content. We leer at each other on the streets. I did not see any of this in the three cities I visited. I also didn’t see it in Bangkok. I will admit, however, that I was solicited several times in Shanghai. Apparently there are great massages to be had.

· I was surprised that the cuisine in the three cities was very similar to what we call Chinese food in the US. The dumplings are far superior in China, however.

· My guides were outstanding. They spoke English and had a sense of humor, which sometimes is very difficult cross-culturally. They adjusted their presentations to my level of knowledge about China. They didn’t treat me like an idiot.

· Several groups of young people on the Great Wall wanted to have their picture taken with me. I think I was a curiosity, being so white an all. There were other Caucasians available however. Who knows?

· Many of the historical sites, e.g., the Summer Place, the Forbidden City, were built in the same era, i.e., the Ming and Qing dynasties. As a result they tend to look a lot alike- same architecture and coloring.

· Even in Shanghai, elegant high rises can be located adjacent to old and often run down older areas.

Th There is some skepticism among young professionals about the value of being married. Apparently, they feel that, given the difficulties of living in China, it might not be worth it.

· There is widespread use of heroin in China. The government supports methadone maintenance, but there is little in the way of recovery support services, including support for families. There are self help programs only in the largest cities. There were none in Xi’an, a city of 6 million.

· I was surprised when one of my guides made a comment about America losing the Korean and Vietnam wars. I guess that’s true from their perspectives.

China is a great country whose future seems poised for growth. Their form of government is certainly more efficient than ours, if less democratic. Maybe China’s mixed economy with enlightened leadership can pay benefits for the greatest number. I guess we will see.

So would I return to China? Maybe, but likely only to spend more time with my guides. As important as seeing the country is, I enjoyed getting to know my guides immensely and found them to be interesting and warm people.

Moraine State Park, PA

2011-10-11T08:34:00.000-07:00

Moraine State park, PA

2011-09-17T11:33:00.000-07:00

New Photo albums

2011-09-13T13:43:00.000-07:00

Hyannis, MA September 11, 2011
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Cape Air right-hand seat
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Cape Cod Symposium accommodationshttp://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2338861400222.139634.1510516273&l=ad4f2293bb&type=1

Barnstable, MA and Whale Sightings
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The Magnificent Pittsburgh Symphony in Berlin on 9/11

2011-09-13T11:27:00.000-07:00

Cape Cod Symposium on Addictive Disorders

2011-09-13T10:38:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I attended the C4 Recovery Solutions Board meeting and portions of the Cape Cod Symposium on Addictive Disorders. It was great to see colleagues with whom I have lost touch over the years. It is also exciting to see advances in treatment for substance use disorders and to feel the enthusiasm that substance professionals feel for their field. I also liked the opportunity to talk with adults who know how to listen to others in a mutually supportive way. Hearing my story was just as important to them as was their story for me. I am not used to such mutuality!

I attended a session about trauma-informed treatment for men. I have advocated for some time that men’s issues with body image, sexuality, and abuse should be attended to. Hearing about the emergence of a substance abuse treatment strategy specifically designed to address these issues for men was exciting.

Asus Transformer

2011-08-25T11:52:00.000-07:00

I have not done product reviews, up to now. I purchased an Asus Transformer tablet and docking keyboard and have used both for about two months. This is one wonderful piece of equipment. It runs Android 3.2. The tablet began with 3.1, but Asus has upgraded it three times. Others complain about Android Honeycomb, but I find it nimble and stable. After a recent update, the Transformer supports Netflix. The Android market place has an enormous number of apps, the majority of which scale from phone to tablet size. With the keyboard, the tablet becomes a netbook or small laptop. The Tablet came with Polaris, which enables document development that is compatible with Office. The integration of Honeycomb with all Google products is very good. The Transformer also allows the user to choose how a web-site sees the tablet. It can either see it as a “phone” or as a computer. The latter allows me to see websites in their full glory rather than in phone-app mode. The tablet provides mini-HDNI output, so I can watch movies and TV shows running on the tablet through my TV in high definition. I have an app that is no longer available on the market but that enables me to stream movies and TV shows not available on Netflix or OnDemand. The entire package supports micro SDHC memory, as well as standard SDHC cards. It also provides a USB port. I use the tablet as an e-reader. Both Kindle and Nook apps are tablet-optimized. Another good reader is Aldiko that has a wide selection of free books.

I have never owned an iPad, but I must confess that I have had terrible experiences with iTunes in the past and do not ever want it on my computer. Also, I like Android’s drag and drop capability. The Transformer is currently available for $350 at a big box store.

If I had five thumbs, the Transformer would receive them.

Brief reviews

2011-08-25T11:19:00.000-07:00

Brief Reviews:

1. 1. Jackie Evancho was at Symphony Hall. I have to give it to the 12-year old young lady. She has a very good voice and a nice stage presence. She doesn’t interact with the audience, and the program has a few filler classical pieces, but I imagine a full length concert would play havoc with her voice. She performed a beautiful “Angel” by Sarah MacLachlan, which was incorrectly attributed in the program to Rossini. It’s a beautiful song, but a tad dark for someone so young:

Spend all your time waiting
For that second chance
For a break that would make it okay
There's always one reason
To feel not good enough
And it's hard at the end of the day
I need some distraction
Oh beautiful release
Memory seeps from my veins
Let me be empty
And weightless and maybe
I'll find some peace tonight

In the arms of the angel
Fly away from here
From this dark cold hotel room
And the endlessness that you fear
You are pulled from the wreckage
Of your silent reverie
You're in the arms of the angel
May you find some comfort here

So tired of the straight line
And everywhere you turn
There's vultures and thieves at your back
And the storm keeps on twisting
You keep on building the lie
That you make up for all that you lack
It don't make no difference
Escaping one last time
It's easier to believe in this sweet madness oh
This glorious sadness that brings me to my knees

2. “The Rise of the Planet of the Apes” is a fairly good movie. Its premise that the ape’s have their intelligence improved by a drug designed to combat Alzheimer’s in humans is interesting, if improbably. This premise, however, is a direct descendant of the theme in the 1999 movie “Deep Blue Sea.” The CGI effects are very good, but would have been better if they could have made James Franco a good actor. He looked stoned in this movie also. I hope that this begins a new franchise of the Apes movies.

3. I watched the entire “Rubicon” TV show in a two-day marathon. I take back anything negative I have previously said about it. It is creepy and spooky, appropriate for a show that deals with spies and espionage. James Badge Dale is very good as Will, the story’s hero who is attempting to ferret out the truth behind the relationship between his employee, the American Policy Institute, and certain disasters that occurred in the recent past. Arliss Howard (Debra Winger’s husband) played Kale Ingram (great name, no?) who is a the 2^nd in command at API, but apparently not involved in all of the nastiness. One episode has Ingram, along with one of his former CIA colleagues dispose of a body in Will’s apartment, using power saws and other grisly instruments. Howard was perfectly cast in this role and played it with great reserve and unflappability. The most sinister character is Tuxton Spangler (another great name), the head of API and played by Michael Cristofer. He is grandfatherly but nasty to the core. The fictional API reminds me of the Washington, DC consulting firms that are headed up by megalomaniacal owners who believe that only their own thoughts are good and worth attending to. They also believe that their companies do the best work in the world. Any company that believes that is the best can’t be the best, since it cannot even see itself clearly. The offices of API look just like those I have worked in. A rabbit warren of overly small offices seems to de rigueur for these companies. Finally Truxton Spangler reminded me of someone in my past who acted grandfatherly, promised me a long-term career, and then engineered downsizing my position out the door.

Georgia State Botanical Gardens, near Athens, GA

2011-08-18T13:30:00.000-07:00

Ottawa

2011-08-07T11:02:00.000-07:00

I spent three great days in Ottawa, Canada (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottawa). My friend, with whom I said, was the ultimate host. Has a beautiful condo that was convenient to the city. He also understood that I want to be a tourist and see everything possible. So we spent an evening in the bustling Bytown, which is full of trendy restaurants and gelato stores, as well as a cosmopolitan array of people. We took a cruise on the beautiful Rideau Canal that winds through the city and makes for great sightseeing. We took in the Gatineau Park and saw its beautiful lakes and quaint towns.

We went to the Deifenbunker, which is Canada’s Cold War Museum. This museum was a top-flight experience. The place is a decommissioned bunker where the Canadian government would have operated from after a nuclear attack. Note that it was not for the general public, nor was it for the opposition party, but only for the members of the ruling parting, excluding any family members. It reminded me about the terrible paranoia we had over a nuclear war (which now has been transmuted by our government into a fear of Muslims). The museum includes a decontamination area. If someone showed any sign of radiation sickness after the cleaning process, he/she would have to exit the bunker to the outside, which was presumably decimated and radioactive. There was a hospital for emergency medical procedures, including surgery. There was a mental health unit for those who deteriorated under the stress of the attack. It also includes a huge vault where the country’s gold would be stored in order to have a basis on which to restore a war-savaged economy. In the vault was actual rubble from Hiroshima, post our bombing of the city. The situation rooms to be used by top government officials were also open for viewing. I applaud the Canadian government for opening this bunker to the public. It is an important part of our social history and it should remind us of the horror of it all. I am not sure that the US government has opened one of its bunkers for public touring.

Ottawa was alive with festivals, including a Busker Festival, full of entertainers, from fire-eaters to acrobats. There was a chamber music festival and a canal celebration going on simultaneously. Even though Ottawa is the third coldest capital in the world, the weather was beautiful. The sun was so intense that I became much sunburned- the worst I have had in my life. On Sunday evening, there was a beautiful sound and light show on the Parliament building that paid tribute to Canada’s history and notable figures. They have pride but don’t have to call themselves “The Greatest Country on Earth.”

The architecture in Ottawa is notable for its lack of notability. The city center is full of undistinguished boxes that are covered in glass. In contrast, the Parliament Buildings are splendid, as is the Governor General’s House and the various museums.

While the city is expensive, the citizens get it back in government-provided healthcare.

I thoroughly enjoyed Ottawa and feel it would be a great place to live if there were no winter.

Highlands, NC

2011-07-26T12:03:00.000-07:00

Highlands-Cashiers chamber Music Festival

2011-07-26T11:51:00.001-07:00

The Highlands-Cashiers Chamber Music Festival lasts for a little over a month. I attended “The Best of Brahms” concert at the Highlands Performing Arts Center.

Highlands is a beautiful small town in the hills of the south Appalachians. It has one of those perfect little main streets lined with stores that peddle those oh-so-precious things that make some people’s hearts go pitter pat. It’s the kind of place where older men lean on the store fronts while their wives melt the credit cards on today’s treasures. This is an enclave of white, well-heeled people. I did not see one even reasonably tanned face in the whole town. But I digress.

The program included:

Violin Sonata in A Major

Trio for clarinet, cello and piano

Trio for horn, violin and piano

The performers were: Timothy Fain, violin; Chris Rex, cello; Elizabeth Pridgen, and William Ransom, piano; Laura Ardan, clarinet; Brice Andrus, horn

I am a great admirer of Brahms music so this was a touch of wonderful for me. The Violin sonata featured Fain and Ransom. Fain is a young player with a very warm tone in his playing. He also musters quite a big sound for the violin. Ransom offered his usual competent accompaniment, although I could have done without the patent leather shoes. This piece is beautiful that I can truly “be in the moment” when listening to it.

The Trio for clarinet, cell, and piano featured Ardan, Rex, and Ransom. Ardan is simply the best. She is principal clarinetist for the Atlanta Symphony and her playing is sensitive, strong, and is equally talented with the pianissimo and the forte. She also enjoys playing music and is fun to watch. Rex is principal cellist for the ASO and is also a remarkable musician. A few times during the work, I thought the balances between the clarinet and cello was a bit off, but nothing major.

The final trio for horn, violin and piano featured Fain, Andrus, and Pridgen. The audience of about 200 provided the performance with a standing ovation. Not from me, however. The balances between the instruments were way off. Andrus, principal horn of the ASO, often was too loud and he overwhelmed the violin, although Fain fought a good fight. There were also intonation problems with the horn, which I grant is a notoriously difficult instrument to play. However, this performance was so grating that the glory of the music was lost. I have frequently been critical of the ASO horn section, and its tendency to slide into notes and for intonation problems. The legacy continues.

The Highlands Performing Arts Center looks like some kind of repurposed building. It’s nice for such a small town and its acoustics were very supportive of the music.

Peachtree United Methodist

2011-07-14T10:45:00.000-07:00

Tom Trenney presented a recital as part of the Atlanta Summer Organ Festival at the Peachtree United Methodist Church. This is a large performing space that has less reverberation than the previous recital at St. Phillips, but it still has that cathedral-like sound. From the churches website: “The Great Organ of Peachtree Road, installed by Mander Organs of London, England, is the largest mechanical action
organ ever built by a British organ builder. With mechanical action, the oldest type of organ action, the motions of the player are translated through long wooden strips made from cedar, commonly called “trackers.” This provides a direct mechanical link from each note on the keyboard to the different divisions of the organ.“

Mr. Trenney is the Minister of music from First Plymouth Church in Lincoln, NE. In fact I have the opportunity to hear him play in Lincoln last weekend.

The program consisted of works spanning some 40 0 years. The first was Bach’s Fugue in E-Flat Major (“St. Anne”). Maybe it was warm up issues, or jitters, but I though the piece tended to wander a bit and did not seem to have the tightness that is characteristic of Bach.

The second piece “A Teller of Tales (A Suite of Stories from Childhood) by Jennifer A. Connor. This work is colorful and the musical representation of the childhood tales is on target, for example in The Tortoise and the Hare: The Race. Since Trenney had premiered this work, his was very familiar with it and his playing showed it. This was followed by a work by Sweelinck that demonstrated the organ’s ability to play early as well as romantic era pieces.

Three French fantasies by Alain, Vierne and Franck followed. The Franck Choral No. 1 in E Major enabled Trenney to show off the capabilities of the Mander Organ. Finally, Trenney did humorous Improvisations on Submitted themes, including “America the Beautiful” and “Whistle While You Work.” Each them was reworked as a Prelude, Fugue, Scherzo or Toccata. These were cleverly done and shows Trenney’s mastery over traditional musical forms for the organ.

Trenney introduced each piece. His presentations were engaging and informative. He seemed very comfortable in his narrative role.

This was most enjoyable recital by a very talented organist in a beautiful church with a magnificent organ.

Atlanta Summer Organ Festival

2011-06-30T12:15:00.000-07:00

Maxine Thevenot presented an organ recital as part of the Atlanta Summer Organ Festival at the Cathedral of St. Philip. The sanctuary at St. Philip is in a beautiful neo-Gothic style. The church sits on a promontory on Peachtree St NW in Atlanta. The Aeolian-Skinner organ is from 1962 and it has a wondrous sonority in the warm and reverberant acoustical environment in which it is located. Pedal notes vibrate the chest like a train running through your living room. The grounds of the church are also impressive.

The recital included works by Sixten, Ager, Vierne, Widor, Wolf, Vaughn Williams, and Togni. Edmund Connolly was the baritone in Wolf’s Three Songs from the Spanish Lieder and in The Call by Vaughn Williams. He and Thevenot have teamed previously and they have managed to work out the perfect balance between the organ and the human voice. The recital was enjoyable if not particularly exciting.

There was a reception for the artists afterward and they served great pastries, including light crème éclairs and puffs. Who could complain?

SONICpalooza- poor camera phone but you get the idea

2011-06-26T14:08:00.000-07:00

SONICpalooza- I thought I died and went to heaven

2011-06-26T13:18:00.000-07:00

Sonic Generator presented SONICpalooza at the Woodruff Arts Center. From their website: Founded in 2006, Sonic Generator is the contemporary music ensemble-in-residence at Georgia Tech dedicated to using technology to transform the ways in which we compose, perform, and listen to music.

This was one incredible event. It lasted from 2:00pm to 12:00 am, although I could only stay for five hours.

The primary members of Sonic Generator are:

· Ted Gurch, clarinet

· Helen Hwaya Kim, violin

· Brad Ritchie, cello

· Jessica Peek Sherwood, flute

· Tom Sherwood, percussion

· Tim Whitehead, piano

· Jason Freeman, electronics

The portion of the program that I was able to attend included these works:

2 pm

Steve Reich: Clapping Music

David Lang: Press Release

Steve Reich: Nagoya Marimbas

Tristan Perich: A/B/C/D

Philip Glass: Mad Rush

3 pm

Alvin Singleton: Secret Desire to be Black

Timothy Andres: Crashing through Fences

Jason Freeman: Sonorescence

Philip Glass: Quartet No. 5

4 pm

Steve Reich: Music for Pieces of Wood

Alexandra Gardner: Bloom

Phil Kline: The Last Buffalo

John Cage: Credo in US

5 pm

Marc Mellits: Tight Sweater

Mark Gresham: Genshi

John Luther Adams: Immeasurable Space of Tones

6 pm

David Lang: Child

7 pm

Bill Ryan: Simple Lines

George Lewis: Northstar Boogaloo

Philip Glass: Arabesque in Memoriam

Where to begin, where to begin….. The Glass pieces were wonderful. “Mad Rush”, a piece for solo piano, has lush melodies that are played against the backdrop of Glasses swirling scales. The pianist (sorry I don’t have his name since I failed to keep a program) coaxed pianissimos and grand fortes from the piano. In the rich acoustic environment, the music was good for trance induction. Glasses Quartet No. 5 is a major late 20^th century work. It also has stunning melodies and the signature Glass waves of swirling sound. This quartet also demonstrates the vision of the mature composer- it lacks some of the hard, almost aggressive, melodies of his earlier works. The final Glass piece, “Arabesque in Memoriam”, is for solo flute. It was composed in 1988, which is about 10-years before the quartet. It is delicate and melodic, and was played to perfection by Jessica Peek Sherwood. The Glass pieces alone were worth the price of admission, which, by the way, was free.

There were two Steve Reich pieces. Reich was a pioneer in the latter half of the 20^th century in the type of music that became known as minimalism. Composers of this school often bristle at the title, but, like so many categorizations, it has a nice way of briefly summing up the nature of the music. Reich’s “Clapping Music” is just that- two musicians clapping in intricate patterns that intrigue and explore the richness of simple rhythm. According to Wikipedia “one performer claps a basic rhythm, a variation of the fundamental African bell pattern in 12/8 time, for the entirety of the piece. The other claps the same pattern, but after every 8 or 12 bars s/he shifts by one eighth note to the left. The two performers continue this until the second performer has shifted 12 eighth notes and is hence playing the pattern in unison with the first performer again (as at the beginning), some 144 bars later. The variation of the African bell pattern is minimal; it contains just one additional beat. However, this minimal addition results in a much more interesting piece from the point of view of the variation of syncopation as the piece progresses.” The musician’s hands must get to the point of spasm after playing this piece, but it also demonstrates their rhythmic skill. The second Reich piece was “Music for Pieces of Wood.” It is similar to “Clapping Music” in that it relies only on simple percussive instruments to make its point. The musicians playing this piece were located on the balcony of the Woodruff atrium, which added to the richness of the sound in this reverberant space.

Another rich piece of music was John Luther Adams “Immeasurable Space of Tones.” This piece is what I have come to know as “Space Music.” It has long and languorous melodies that change pitch very slowly and are handed off subtlety from one instrument to another. The music is hypnotic and provides a great opportunity for the listener to float and be in the incredible moment of now. Again the music benefitted from the rich acoustic environment.

The final piece I will discuss is “Child” by David Lang. “Child” is a powerful meditation on childhood and memory. Sweet and simple on the surface, the piece is made up of gentle musical fragments floating by, leaving faint traces of darkness in their wake. It was written in five separate parts.” One section is startling- in the midst of these beautiful sounds two drums intermittently break the beautiful stillness. This music is gorgeous and worth repeated hearing.

SONICpalooza was held in the Woodruff Arts Center atrium, which is the grand lobby area of Symphony Hall and the Alliance Theater. It was set up with about thirty tables. Food was served by vendors located on one of the plazas of the Center. Listeners came in and left as they wished. The performers were informally dressed and there was a five to fifteen minute break at the end of each hour. This was not a formal classical music event but rather an interactive setting where musicians “hung around” after playing and were available for conversation. Audience members were relaxed and ate when the urge struck them. At the height of the afternoon, there were maybe 150 attendees. With symphony orchestras in financial trouble across the country, maybe there is something to be learned from SONICpalooza dealing with audience comfort, informality, food, programming, and how to attract younger audiences.

Finally, I have complained about the acoustics of Symphony Hall. It is a dead space that provides minimal reverberation but lots of echo. It is harsh and overly analytic. I have been made more aware of its deficiencies after attending an Omaha Symphony concert is its magnificent Holland Performing Arts Center, which has a warm and reverberant auditorium. In fact, I found the Woodruff atrium to have a more hospitable sound for chamber-sized ensembles than can be provided in Symphony Hall. Given the economic conditions, a new hall for the ASO is likely out of the question. But seeking some advice on how to improve the dead acoustics would be well worth the investment. It would make the ASO sound like the top-flight ensemble it really is.

Joslyn Art Museum Omaha

2011-06-10T12:20:00.000-07:00

Joslyn Museum in Omaha is in a perfectly preserved art deco building. It was built out of pink marble and an addition was built in the 1990's. While the addition doesn't particularly add to the edifice, it certainly does not detract either. This is a real architectural gem.

100 St SW near Denton NE

2011-06-10T11:47:00.000-07:00

This stretch of road has some of the most beautiful features of the Nebraska prairie. Many trees, lakes, grass, and empty highway are here. Outside of the small town of Denton is the Our Lady of Guadalupe seminary perched on a bluff overlooking the area. It's Romanesque chapel is very nice.

An elephant parade in Omaha

2011-06-10T11:44:00.000-07:00

Not sure why, but there was an elephant parade in downtown Omaha!

Omaha

2011-06-10T11:29:00.000-07:00

A new stadium, the TD Ameritrade Park, has been built in Omaha for the College World Series. There has been much development on the riverfront, including new apartments and condos. The Kerrey pedestrian bridge connects Nebraska and Iowa by spanning the Missouri. The photos show the river being high because of snow melt runoff. Omaha has created a riverfront park with many amenities. On the Iowa side, the only provided are mud flats. No water, no toilets- just mud. Now, its a lost opportunity- maybe in the future it will be equally exciting as the Nebraska side.

Durham Museum in Omaha

2011-06-10T11:17:00.000-07:00

The Durham Museum is a beautifully restored art deco train station that is now a museum. It has some fine detailing that shows deco at its finest. There is a preserved soda fountain where banana splits and phosphates can be purchased. The actual museum included photographs of modern-day cowboys in Montana and Nebraska. The lower level of the museum includes fully restored and preserved Union Pacific Pullman cars. These cars were tall and wide, with sleeper births in each. The mechanisms of the bunks are sturdy and demonstrate how important steel was in railroad car construction. Today the steel chain mechanisms would likely be replaced with some plastic pneumatic apparatus. The rest of the museum has artifacts displayed in facades reflecting various periods in Omaha's history. Its like walking through a small town. Also on display were 150 Pulitzer Prize winning photographs. All were powerful, some were very troubling. I found most sad the photo of two parents on a beach looking desperate and holding on to each other after their baby has been washed away by the ocean. The Durham Museum is a wonderful museum and preserves a rich part of life when passenger trains still ruled.

Holland Performing Arts Center, Omaha

2011-06-10T08:15:00.000-07:00

The Holland Performing Arts Center was opened in 2005. It is spare in design with little lobby decoration (where are the modern painting?). Nevertheless, the auditorium is spectacular. It is nearly perfect acoustically. It has a noticeable reverberation with fairly long decay. It does not muddy the sound and the various sections of the orchestra are easily identified. This was particularly noticeable in Vaughn Williams "Variations on a Theme by Thomas Tallis", where the string quartet was sonically separate from the full string ensemble. The Omaha Symphony sounded first class in this environment. The music director of the orchestra is Thomas Wilkins, a tall, elegant man who actually wore a tuxedo to conduct. He was impressive, both in the "Tallis Variations" and in the Mahler Seventh. I was really impressed. Oh that Atlanta could have such a wonderful concert hall.

LikeTinnitus

2011-05-20T12:49:00.000-07:00

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra presented its most recent concert under the direction of Robert Spano, the ASO Music Director. The program began with one of the ten fanfares written to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Spano’s tenure. Written by Robert W. Pound, “Heartening, charged with invented time” was brief and for me came closer to being a real fanfare (i.e., A loud flourish of brass instruments, especially trumpets) than others it in the series. Pound is part of Spano’s Atlanta School of Composers. Whether any of these ten pieces will graduate to the repertory remains to be seen of course.

The first piece on the program was Rachmaninov’s “Spring” Cantata for Baritone Solo, Chorus, and orchestra. This piece was written fairly early on in the composer’s career. The music often seemed more akin to Impressionism that the composer’s late- Romantic style (to the degree that any of these labels matters), so it seemed more diaphanous than bombastic as is the case with his other works. Stephen Powell was the Baritone soloist and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus chimed in, so to speak. The text of the piece is a poem by Nikolai Nekrsov. According to the ASO program notes, “The poem relates the story of a peasant couple confines to their hut during the harsh winter. The wife confessed to an affair and the husband contemplates avenging the deed by killing her. But with the arrival of spring, the husband’s resolve weakens. He decides to forgive his wife, and allow God to be his judge.” Some of the lines from the poem include:

“Kill her, kill the traitorous woman! Destroy the evildoer!” and “Love, while you can still love, Endure while you can still endure, Forgive, while you still can forgive, And let God by your judge!”

It seems a bit overwrought to me, but it was likely a good fit for Rachmaninov’s depression. The piece began with what seemed to me to be an uncertain beat. I have commented elsewhere that at times, in solo or pianissimo passages, the composer seems to wander without a sense of direction, in contrast to when he employs the resources of the full orchestra. Since I do not know this music well, I cannot tell if the uncertain beginning is a function of the composer, the ASO, or Maestro Spano. The ASO chorus performed beautifully- I am always amazed at their precision. Powell has a good voice, and a credible Russian accent. The ASO performed this rarely heard piece quite capably.

Mendelssohn’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, Overture and Incidental Music. This is familiar and delightful music. The overture, written some years before the rest of the work, is a kind of Cliff’s Notes to the work. The braying of the donkeyized Nick Bottom is always enjoyable. The piece concluded with the famous Wedding march. The ASO was in top form for this work. The wood winds, which are prominent in this piece, performed at their best. As I have said before, they may be the strongest section of this talented ensemble. The French horns, even though receiving special recognition at the end of the piece from Mr. Spano, seem sometimes to slide into notes rather than squarely hitting them at a start of a phrase. They slid during this piece.

I admire Mr. Spano’s efforts to bring contemporary works into Symphony Hall. In his programming for this concert, he included Britten’s not-often-heard “Spring Symphony” from 1949. I will call it contemporary since I am at least as old as this work and I am still alive and thus contemporary myself. There were three soloists, Jessica Rivera (soprano), Kelly O’Connor (mezzo-soprano) and Anthony Dean Griffey (tenor). In an effort to fully disclose, I must admit that I really, really, really dislike this music. I usually am a fan of modern music, but this sounded to me like two pieces of music (one choral and one instrumental) that are mashed together without reference to the relevance of one to the other. Audience members left at intermission (they must have known what they were in for) and several left during the performance. Yet, at the end, there was that traditional Atlanta standing ovation, so the remaining audience members must have appreciated the work more than me. I really cannot comment on the adequacy of the performance since my brain shut down about a quarter of the way through the piece. One final note, Britten said to the piece’s underwriter, Serge, Koussevitsky, that this was “a real symphony” because it have a symphony’s traditional four symphonies. Alas, saying it is so does not make it so.

Because the ASO Chorus and Gwinnett Young Singers were on the stage, the orchestra moves forward and portions of it sit on a riser above where a pit orchestra would sit. In this configuration, Symphony Hall can generate a most noticeable echo, which tends to muddy things up a bit.

Note to self- avoid Britten’s Spring thing.

Another Stellar ASO performance

2011-05-13T12:06:00.001-07:00

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra concert this week was spectacular. For me, some of the very best music was played before the actual concert itself. From time to time, the ASO’s Thursday night preconcert event involves having selected audience members on stage seated in the players seats. Various artists from the symphony then play chamber works by composers who are featured in the mainline concert. The musicians sit facing those on stage, with their backs to the auditorium. Seems like a great way to provide intimacy between audience and musician, even in the large Symphony Hall space. After one of the audience members knocked over a drum shield, which caught every one’s attention, Ken Melzer, the symphony’s annotator, introduced Beethoven’s “Eyeglasses Duo for Viola and Cello.” The performance was shoddy and full of intonation problems. Following this argument against intimacy, Melzer introduced Ravel’s “Introduction and Allegro for harp, Strings, Flute and Clarinet.” This is such wonderful music that I hoped that the “Eyeglasses” would not be a harbinger of another under-rehearsed performance. To my great joy, it was not. The ASO players were magnificent. Particular standouts were the flute, viola, and harp. This music is so beautiful and ethereal that its absence from most concert stages is a loss. Every time I hear it, I see myself sitting in a Parisian sidewalk café in a cool spring morning enjoying the sights. My fantasy aside, however, the “Introduction” was wonderfully performed. Kudos to all involved!

The guest conductor for the evening was Kazushi Ono. I have not heard of Mr. Ono, and I am sure he has also not heard of me. Every conductor’s bio makes him or her seem like the next Toscanini or Ormandy or Monteaux, but too often that is not the case. Mr. Ono, however, was impressive. His right hand, holding a baton, whipped the air like a rapier. There was no mistaking his beat or his authority.

The program began with Dvorak’s “Carnival Overture”, which is part of his ‘Nature, Life and Love” trilogy of overtures. It is a lighthearted piece that can be a real showpiece for an orchestra. The ASO did not disappoint, but Mr. Ono let the trombones get a bit too prominent, at least for me. Their supporting role was spotlighted to the degree that they overtook the coherence of the work. The violins sounded smooth and shimmery. There seems to have been some turnover in the violin personnel, which seems to have enhanced the sections performance. If this is the case, it is likely attributable to the esteemed ASO concertmaster. By the way, there were a few audience members who stood and “bravo’d” after the performance. I found it to be a bit odd for a ten-minute piece, even when well played.

Next on the program was Beethoven’s “Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major”, with Augustin Hadelich as soloist. This is one of the great concertos in the musical literature, in such company as those by Tchaikovsky, Brahms, and Mendelssohn. The first movement is about 25 minutes long; the whole work totals about 40 minutes. The concerto is notable for the way it integrates the solo violin with the orchestra, where themes are started in one and handed off to the other. This requires the soloist and the conductor to get the balances between their two instruments correct. Ono and Hadelich did this very well. I was a bit concerned about Hadelich’s performance based on the very opening notes of his solo. He seemed reticent and he did not appear to have the boldness that is required to make the strong statement that the introduction requires. But as he warmed up, his performance became stronger and he is certainly not short on technical skill. I found his sound to be a bit cold, however, especially in the higher range. It’s difficult to know if it’s his playing, his instrument, or Symphony Hall. Hadelich performed the cadenzas with skill. This was a great performance and the audience cheered and gave the standard standing ovation that Atlanta audiences seem compelled to provide. In this case, however, it was deserved. To reward the patrons, Mr. Hadelich encored with the Paganini Caprice No. 24. This piece is considered one of the most difficult pieces ever written for the solo violin and Hadelich performed it admirably. Given that he is only 26- years old; his performance is even more astonishing.

The program concluded with Ravel’s Suites Nos. 1 and 2 from “Daphnis and Chloe.” This music is one of the signature pieces from the Impressionist period and it requires a rather large orchestra, incorporating an enhance percussion section, alto flute, and two harps. Ravel was a brilliant orchestrator and no piece shows off his skill better than this. The piece was debuted in 1912, as part of Diaghilev’s Ballet Russes. Apparently the first performance was less than spectacular. The orchestral requirements exceeds the resources of even the best ballet orchestra’s and Ravel had quarrels with the set designers- he wanted a Watteau-like setting, while the designers wanted a more modern stage. Fokine, the choreographer, had a love-hate relationship with the great impresario Diaghilev, because of the latter’s increasing attention to the volatile prima-dancer Vladimir Nijinsky. My mind boggles at the hysteria that must have attended the development and performance of this piece. The ballet never has found a place in the popular repertoire, although Ravel’s music is often heard in the concert hall in three orchestral suites. The ASO performed two of these. This is wonderfully diaphanous music that can demonstrate the virtuosity of an orchestra and conductor. Ono and the Atlantans did justice to the score. Particular stand outs were the principal clarinetist (Laura Ardan, who never fails to impress), the alto flautist (whose name I do not know), the principal flautist (Christina Smith), the contra-bassoonist (Juan de Gomar), the entire brass section, and the wonderful percussion ensemble. David Coucheron, the ASO concertmaster, is always a stand out. His tone is rich and never steely. His technical skill is incredible and it seems that the orchestra’s sound has improved since his arrival. (Sometimes I wonder how long he will be content to be part of the ASO and if he will seek a solo career.)

My only complaint with this performance was how unkind the acoustics of Symphony Hall are to really loud orchestral climaxes, of which “Daphnis” has several. They are ear splitting and overbearing. I have noticed this in choral works, and now it is apparent that this is a drawback for other loud orchestral music also.

One final comment- I was surprised how many patrons left after the Beethoven. They missed a great “Daphnis” and I am not sure why they exited. This usually doesn’t happen so noticeably in other concerts. Is Ravel considered too modern? Was it not worth waiting through the intermission for another 20-minutes of music? Was it the warm spring night?

More romance

2011-04-22T13:46:00.000-07:00

The ASO, conducted by guest Julian Kuerti, presented a program including:

RACHMANINOV: Piano Concerto No. 4

MENDELSSOHN: Calm Sea & Prosperous Voyage

BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 8 in F

WAGNER: Overture to The Flying Dutchman

The soloist in the Rachmaninov was Simon Trpceski.

For reasons that I can only guess, the ASO has had a string of not-so-well-known guest conductors of late. Not that that is inherently bad and everyone has to start somewhere. But where are the Tilson-Thomases, the Janssons, etc. Probably the first tier from Europe don’t treasure the trip to the States, and probably too expensive. While travel might not be the issue for the top tier of American conductors, travel might still be a deterrent. May the best are also very, very expensive. Again, nothing wrong with having the newbies and sometimes they can really pay off.

Mr. Kuerti seemed capable enough. He did not hesitate to give orders to the musicians and his conducting style was a bit reminiscent of Ormandy. But I will stop there.

The Mendelssohn was competently played. It is not an exciting piece probably because it’s representing a calm sea. Maybe the program would have been better without it, and maybe the Wagner would have been a bit more exciting for a starter.

The Rachmaninov, composed in 1926 and revised in 1941, was the most contemporaneous piece played, but the heart of the music is definitely rooted in the late 1800s. To my ear, this piece doesn’t seem to break new ground, in comparison for example, to his early concertos but many say otherwise. They talk of the jazz influences in the music and the apparent influence of Scriabin. All of that may be true, but it wasn’t such a break with the composer’s style that it sounds particularly modern or inventive. Trpceski played admirably as did the ASO. In fact, there is a portion of the score where the first violins play a solo line. They sounded shimmery and precise. They seemed to have been well-rehearsed to carry this off so effectively. Rachmaninov usually includes quite a bit of percussion in his music. They sounded great in the acoustics of symphony hall. Rachmaninov was closely associated with The Philadelphia Orchestra under Stokowski and Ormandy. There is some unintended irony in this piece being played on the heels of that great Orchestra’s request for Chapter 11 protection.

The Beethoven is a splendid piece. It is happy, melodic, and rather short piece. It does not receive the attention that the great Seventh or Ninth Symphonies do, but all three are powerful works. Kuerti acquitted himself well in this piece. But he seemed to pay too much attention to the violins, and maybe not enough to the brass. To my ear, the trumpets were occasionally a bit too loud. For my vantage point, I was able to focus a bit of my attention on the bass section. These are certainly an ignored group in most orchestras, but watching them bow some the fast notes in the Beethoven was enjoyable to watch. Those people really had to work! Because everything is so much larger on a bass, the movements of the players must also be larger in comparison to the violins or violas. I was impressed with their industriousness and skill. Beethoven makes use of the tympani quite a lot in this work. There is something about the acoustics in Symphony Hall that makes they tympani sound muddy and unfocused.

The Eight has some nicely syncopated rhythms. It was fun to see Principal Clarinetist Laura Ardan’s bounce in time to the music even while she was not playing.

The Wagner seemed sort of tacked on at the end of the program, maybe in part to make up for the short Eighth. I was very surprised to see that the last time The Flying Dutchman was played by the ASO was in 1966! And, come to think of it, Wagner does not seem to be a staple in the orchestra’s repertoire. If that is indeed the case, I am surprised. It’s not as though it is cutting-edge music. This performance provided an opportunity for the low brass to shine, if you will pardon the pun. The trombones and the single tuba were razor sharp in their attacks and they had great ensemble. It was good to hear them spotlighted.

In typical Atlanta fashion, there was a standing O after the Rachmaninov and the Beethoven. Really, folks, the performers won’t mind being called back if you remain in your seats while applauding. Save the standing for something really spectacular as was heard last week in the Tchaikovsky Violin concerto.

On my drive home, I heard the New York Philharmonic play Tchaikovsky’s “Little Russian” Symphony No. 2. It is wonderful to hear their precise where everything seems so together. But I digress.

The Georgian Chamber Players

2011-04-20T13:10:00.000-07:00

The Georgian Chamber Players presented a concert at Clayton States’ Spivey Hall. The program, somewhat altered from the printed version, included a Beethoven Violin and Piano sonata (sorry, I don’t remember which), Grieg’s Suite for Two Violins and Piano, and Brahms Quartet No. 3 in C minor for Piano, Violin, Viola, and Cello, Op. 60. The Beethoven and Grieg were played by ASO concertmaster David Coucheron and his sister, Julie. David seems to have brought a new elegance to the violin section at the ASO. He is a brilliant musician and the youngest concertmaster of any US symphony orchestra. He is 26-years old. He has concertized internationally as has his sister, who is two years his senior. The rapport between these two performers is wonderful. She carefully watches him to follow his lead, but she does so with a slight smile. She obviously enjoys performing with him. I can only imagine the kind of support that these two artists received from their families and communities to achieve as they have

The Grieg piece is beautifully romantic, full of what seem to be fold melodies and musical impressions. In the second movement there is a theme that to me is very reminiscent of a waterfall. The theme begins on a high note and cascades down into a deep bass. It is a charming effect. David’s playing is always technically brilliant and he has a big tone and broad vibrato. Julie is very attentive to volume and dynamics.

The Brahms was simply brilliant. He is my favorite composer and this piece was seemingly over in an instant. It includes the wonderful melodies and grand development that is present in most of his music. The Coucheron’s were joined by ASO principals, Reid Harris (viola) and Christopher Rex (cello) in the Brahms. At his best, Harris can have a broad tone that reminds me of what a great instrument the viola is. Rex is always a treat to hear- he is both technically and musically talented. I look forward to the next ASO season to hear Rex and Coucheron in Brahms Double Concerto.

The Georgian Chamber players are a wonderful group. They are musicians of great skill and musicality. The guest appearance by Julie Coucheron was icing on a wonderful cake. I was disappointed to see that the rather small Spivey Hall was less than half full for the performance.

I have one final superficial note. Ms. Coucheron is stunning. Pictures of her on the internet simply do not do her justice. She is tall and thin and looked red-carpet ready in a lavender strapless number. She just looked wonderful!

A brilliant Violinist

2011-04-20T12:35:00.000-07:00

The Atlanta Symphony, guest conducted by Arild Remmereit (http://www.rpo.org/remmereit/), presented a concert including Verdi’s “La forza del destino,” Tchaikovsky’s Concerto in D major for Violin and Orchestra, and Schuman’s Symphony No. 4 in D minor. The violin soloist was Sergej Krylov 9http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergei_Krylov_(violinist). Remmereit was a last-minute substitution for Nicola Luisotti.

The Verdi was competently played by the ASO in what I thought was a fairly routine presentation. I did notice that Remmereit was very involved in the dynamics of the piece, giving frequent direction to the sections of the orchestra about their volume or lack thereof.

I admit that the Tchaikovsky is not my favorite concerto. I have heard it too many times for it to provide much satisfaction for me. I think that Tchaikovsky’s chamber music and first three symphonies are some of his best works, and seem to reflect a less white-hot emotionality. However, I must admit that this performance of the D Major concerto was quite remarkable. Krylov was absolutely intense in his playing and showed incredible technical skill. His tone was full and he never had to struggle against the orchestra to be heard. This, in part, is also a tribute to Remmereit’s attention to the dynamics of the a piece. In fact, I hear some of the most pianissimo sounds I have ever heard from the ASO. To me, this is equally an important skill for an orchestra as being able to blast accurately a grand finale. Krylov’s tone was warm and he could add an edge when needed. The Atlanta crowd is usually very responsive to guest soloists and often gives stand ovations even when not required (maybe it’s that southern politeness). Well, the audience went wild for Krylov- calling him back to the stage at least four times, accompanied by extended loud applause and cat calls! Krylov responded by priding an encore of the Bach Toccata and Fugue in D Minor. This warhorse is usually heard on an organ and there is debate in the literature about whether, in fact, this piece may have been written for another instrument. Krylov demonstrated that its fits the violin very well. The pieces inner voices and stunning counterpoint showed up very well in this performance. The only time when the transcription ran out of steam was in the thunderous finale. On the organ it is awesome but the violin doesn’t have the thunderous bass to rattle the chest. But Krylov’s performance was nothing short of awesome.

The final piece was Schumann’s Forth Symphony. The piece, in four sections, is played without break. It is a sunny piece, full of pleasant melodies, and wonderful thematic development. Again the ASO performed admirably, with sometimes silken strings and substantial brass. Remmereit continued to prompt the orchestra regarding orchestral balances and dynamics and it paid off. It was a wonderful performance.

Now I will quibble a bit. I found that this program, incorporating pieces from the late Romantic period, to be rather uninspiring. All of the pieces were composed between 1851 and 1878. There were no risks taken by choosing this music. I admire Music Director Spano’s support for contemporary composers (albeit very “listenable” contemporary composers), but this program showed none of that edge. The audience loved this music, but even at that, the house was not full. Maybe we kid ourselves to think that we need the old music to draw the crowds. Including something written even in the last century might have been just the spark needed to make this Tchaikovsky and Schumann all the more thrilling.

I felt this even more strongly when I was driving home. The New York Philharmonic weekly broadcast was on the locale NPR station. The program included Bartok’s First Piano concerto, his suite from the Miraculous Mandarin and Ligeti’s “Clouds and Clocks” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gy%C3%B6rgy_Ligeti). I appreciate that I was hearing music programmed for a very sophisticated audience, but how I would love to hear such a challenging program in Atlanta. I admit that Symphony would be even less crowded than with the late-Romantic concert I just attended, but it would have been a noble failure, at least from an attendance view point. I grant also that the ASO has given us Bartok this season and for that I am grateful. The orchestra was also supposed to do a Ligeti piece, but it was dropped from the schedule.

Programming issues must be a constant headache for music directors. They must program to pull in the audience while balancing the need to support new music. But when the tried and true repertoire fails to bring out the crowds, we may be heading for the kind of trouble that recently befell The Philadelphia Orchestra. Let’s hope not- we don’t need another orchestra suffering from falling receipts and budget deficits.

Treeline

2011-04-11T08:34:00.000-07:00

Treeline

16" X 20"

Ink on Canvas

Brief reviews

2011-04-11T07:39:00.000-07:00

Brief reviews:

“The Tourist”- Now all together: Angelina is gorgeous; Angelina is sexy; Angelina is elegant. Now having gotten that out of the way, the tourist reminds me of one of the Audrey Hepburn caper movies, e.g., “Charade.” In spite of her many strengths, Angelina has a bit less of the elegant but a lot more of the sexy that Hepburn. Those who say there was no chemistry between Angelina and Johnny Depp don’t seem to understand there was to be no chemistry until the very end. Nevertheless, there is on kiss fairly early on in the movie that was very hot, including some tongue action. That meets my criterion for “chemistry”, as opposed to the Matt Damon and Emily Blunt kiss in “The Adjustment Bureau.” I do not regret spending two-hours on “The Tourist.”

“Insidious”- This spook-movie was good for the first half. It was creepy and unnerving at times. The second half was pretty bad because it was so derivative. Patrick Wilson played the same character he played in “Little Children.” He is getting type-cast as a slacker kind of guy. The creepiest part of the movie was in the séance where the medium put on a strange gas mask-like contraption. This movie would have been so much better if the writers did not feel compelled to explain everything (as silly as the explanation was turned out to be). I’ve read that American audiences do not like lose ends in a movie so maybe that is why we have so many silly endings. There are two examples of a movie with an inconclusive end that are quite good. The first is “Picnic at Hanging Rock,” an Australian import from the early 1970’s. The second is “The Entity” starring Barbara Hershey (who is also in “Insidious”). The latter is in the horror genre and involves a woman being molested by an unseen spirit. We don’t know why, but we do see the how. We also know that the attacks continued after she left town. For me, that was a anxiety-filled, ambiguous, ending. Martin Scorsese includes “The Entity” on his list of the eleven scariest movies ever made.

“Love and Other Drugs”- To be clear, I just do not get the whole Anne Hathaway craze, but apparently I may be alone in that. This film can’t decide if it’s an indictment of the pharmaceutical industry, a romantic comedy, a disease-of-the week movie, or a film about a man child growing up. Jake Gyllenhaal was good, and he has the most manscaped eyebrows and chest hair I have ever seen. The movie was made in Pittsburgh so I enjoyed that part. This is a badly focused story that is just passable.

“The Borgias”is a new period piece from Showtime. It stars Jeremy Irons as the patriarch of this family of ambition and moral laxness. Irons is wonderful and revels in his character. This series is worth watching just to see him act. I did not know much about the Borgias but look forward to learn more about their family-based crime syndicate.

The Musica Sacra Series presented a program titled “Opposites Attract” at Atlanta’s First Presbyterian Church. The program included Stravinsky’s “Symphony of Psalms” and Faure’s “Requiem. The church’s acoustics were terrible. The chamber quality of the “Symphony” was totally lost in the sound blur of the hall. Even worse, Faure’s delicate and elegant “Requiem” sounded leaden. The organ was about the only instrument that benefited from the acoustics. I left with a headache.

Emory presented the Serafin String Quartet as part of its noontime concert series. The program was a pastiche of movements from various quartets. One was the Allegro from Dvorak’s String Quartet in F Major. This is a melodic and beautifully shaped movement and helped to remind me of what a good composer Dvorak really was. There were two pieces by Jennifer Higdon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jennifer_Higdon) who is currently en vogue in the classical music world. Her pieces were introduced by the ASO’s music director Robert Spano. Higdon’s music is melodic and tonal. The first piece was her “Amazing Grace for String Quartet.” I have a deed for a piece of land Wasila if you can guess what theme it is based on. The second Higdon work was two movements from her “Sky Quartet.” These pieces were pleasant enough but didn’t seem to warrant the awe that she seems to inspire. I need to hear more of her music. The Serafin group was good, and substitute viola player Luke Fleming was particularly good. His playing was strong and it reminded me of what a wonderful tone the viola has.

Oh, to have lunch with Brahms

2011-04-03T12:10:00.001-07:00

This weekend’s Atlanta Symphony concert was conducted by Roberto Abbado, who has been a frequent guest conductor over the last few years.

The concert began with a piece by Michael Kurth, an ASO bass player. This fanfare is title “May Cause Dizziness” which had less to do with the actual music itself and more to do with Mr. Kurth’s prescription label. When I noticed that the kick drum, Hi-hat, and other pop-music percussion were on stage, I was a bit wary. These mash ups of symphonic music and pop music often results in bad classical music and bad pop music. It can be the worst of both worlds. I can’t say that my mind was changed by Kurth’s piece, although I did like his symphonic writing. It was a nice addition to the fanfare parade done this year to honor Maestro Spano’s 10-years with the ASO.

The next piece was Franz Joseph Hayden’s Symphony No. 93 in D Major (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_No._93_(Haydn). This piece is notable for its musical “fart” joke played by the bassoon. Hilarity ensued, just not for me.

Next was Bela Bartok’s Concerto No. 3 for Piano and Orchestra (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piano_Concerto_No._3_(Bart%C3%B3k), with Peter Serkin as soloist. I am an admirer of Bartok’s music, particularly “The Miraculous Mandarin,” “Concerto for Orchestra, and “Music for Strings, etc.” His orchestration is brilliant and his music is innovative and challenging. “Music” has influenced more TV shows and movies than can be counted on several sets of fingers and toes. I previously reviewed a performance by the Ehnes Quartet of his Forth String Quartet, which also contains aggressive and colorful music and instrumental effects. His third piano concerto is mild in comparison. It is lyrical and almost romantic. There is only an occasional hint of his earlier brashness. Nevertheless, it is a pleasant piece that was very well played by Serkin and the ASO. And, ture to form, after it was over, the audience gave its obligatory standing O.

The final piece was Johannes Brahms Symphony No. 1 in C minor. I make no secret that Brahms is my favorite composer. I think he was unparalleled in writing beautiful melodies and developing them with great mastery. I had actually not hears the first symphony is some time because I had become overly familiar with it. I remember hearing the masterful William Steinberg conducting the Pittsburgh Symphony in an iconic performance of this piece. So, to some extent, I was hearing this Brahms First “with new ears.” Well- the wait was worth it. From the breathtakingly strong introduction, with a great contrabassoon part, to the beautiful melody in the final movement, the symphony is replete with wonderful sounds. I like so much that neither Brahms nor his publishers attempted to add a story or title to his symphonies. They are simply great music that needs nothing other than a good orchestra and conductor to make them soar. And his music received just that this weekend. Abbado seemed to enjoy the music while conducting and the ASO may not have sounded better than in this performance. The strings had a wonderful sheen- I suspect that David Coucheron is having quite an influence on this. Laura Ardan, the principal clarinetist, and Elizabeth Koc, the principal oboist were particular standouts in the wind section. Juan de Gomar always manages to have is contra-bassoon, be heard but never distracting. The horns were also quite good. Brahms frequently orchestrated portions of his music to blend together the horns and woodwinds. A misstep in either section can be awful, but the ASO handled it beautifully. This was a great performance of a great symphony. Mr. Abbado and the orchestra received four curtain calls and a standing ovation, this time, it was truly deserved.

Rite in all ways

2011-04-03T11:21:00.000-07:00

Atlanta Ballet presented a program titled “Fusion” at the Cobb Energy Center. The works included “Petal”, choreographed by Helen Pickett, with music by Thomas Newman and Philip Glass. The music was recorded, which always give me pause, but the sound system at Cobb is fairly good. The Newman music was from the film “The Little Children” and the Glass piece was from his music for “L’Enfants Terrible”. The program failed to list who the musicians on the recorded pieces were, which seems like a big oversight. “Petals” was performed by eight dancers, all of whom were quite good. The tallest of the male dancers was outstanding, but I can’t determine who he is based on the photos provided in the program. I liked “Petals” a great deal, in part, because Glass’ music is beautiful with great lyrical themes embedded inside of the minimalist hypnotic runs. I also liked “Petals” because it had no discernable program. I am partial to contemporary dance because it can be like music made physical. Dancers dance to the music that has been transformed from the ephemeral to the physical by the choreographer.

The second piece on the program was a reimagining of Stravinsky’s “Rite of Spring.” The choreography was by Christopher Hampson. Stravinksy’s music was a milestone in the history of music. It is full of complex rhythms, dissonances, and surprises. For me, it is thoroughly enjoyable but I know to others it is too far afield from melody and ¾ time that it is grinding for them to sit through. I think there was more than a bit of this when I attended. Two women in front of me said that they had never heard the music before and they didn’t like it. This resistance to the new (even though it is over 100-years old) may have contributed to the tepid reception for the piece by the audience. Atlanta audiences are so prone to standing ovations that I was surprised that this wonderful dance piece received no curtain calls and no standing O.

For me this is a very difficult piece to write about because my reaction to it was so personal. The brotherly love, conflict and growth in the first half of the piece can’t be too far away from the experience of many male siblings. The only scenic feature on the stage was a wall which slanted from the floor and rose to a height of maybe 10 feet. It reminded of the Warped Wall on the TV show “Ninja Warrior,” only without the top overhang. The dancers used this wall in aborted efforts to escape their situation, but to no avail. The Older Brother was danced by John Welker and the Younger brother was portrayed by Jared Tan. Toward the end of the first section a young woman (danced by Christine Walker) appears at the top of the wall, first showing only her head then rising to full height. She represented Faith and how it touched the lives of the brothers.

The second half of the piece began with Mr. Tan sitting in front of a scrim upon which were projected grotesque images, including a pyramid seemingly made of human skulls. When the scrim lifted, it was clear that Mr. Tan was a prisoner, being guarded by a soldier (John Welker again), dressed in camouflage pants. As the scene progresses Tan is stripped to his underwear and become increasingly brutalized by the soldier. For me, this was almost painful piece to watch. The horror, fear, and dread of someone in that situation were brought to life so vividly by Hampson’s choreography. Tan’s physicality, and vulnerability made this scene palpable for me. This is just about the only performance that brought a tear to my eye. It was so dark and so sad. Again, appearing on top of the wall, Ms. Winkler now appeared as Death. Increasingly she became engaged with Tan, almost in a flirtatious dance, until she seemed like a welcome friend to the Younger Brother. In the end, in fact, she took care of his longing.

The savagery of Stravinsky’s music underlined the hard-edged message of this piece. Tan, Welker, and Walker all deserve great praise for their work. Tan, who is in his first year with the ballet, brought the required strength and vulnerability to his part. Both he and Welker handled the wall- scaling skillfully. For me, this was a powerful and haunting piece. This made the lackluster reception by the audience all the more perplexing to me, but it is not, of course, the first time that a premiere of a great work is met with indifference or even hostility.

The last piece of the program was titled “Lambarena” choreographed by Val Caniparoli. The music is a mash up of classical ballet, African dance, and the music of J. S. Bach. This piece has received widespread acclaim and was danced with energy and skill by the performers. I am not a big fan of such mash-ups because one is left with something less the best of the pieces components. I must also say that I was still lost in “The Rite” and had a difficult time focusing on “Lambarena.”

As I mention the Cobb sound system was quite good. In fact, the recording of the Rite had some wonderful woodwind playing that was superbly recorded. The recording itself did deserve some mention.

Near Perfection

2011-03-25T14:17:00.001-07:00

“She Has Been Here” by Friedrich Ruckert (1788-1866)

The East Wind blows fragrances gently in the air,

Telling me, that you were here.

Here, tears flow, letting you know,

Even if you weren’t told, that I was here.

Beauty or Love, can either remain hidden?

The scents and breezes make it known,

That she has been here.

Last evening, Robert Spano conducted the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in what for me, was the best concert of the year. Dawn Upshaw (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dawn_Upshaw) was the guest soloist.

Before I talk about the concert, I must pay tribute to Music Director Spano (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Spano). He is an inspired leader and musician. His passion about music is apparent when he is on the podium- his conducting style is spare, but his facial expressions tell the story of his intensity. He is adventuresome in programming and has led the ASO to support composers, often called the Atlanta School. Some of the composers that have been part of this group include Osvaldo Golijov, Jennifer Higdon, Christopher Theofanidis, and Michael Gandolfi. With Spano conducting, the ASO is often at its best, which can be quite good. Last evening’s performance demonstrated Spano’s influence and his daring. He is a great asset to the ASO and is often rumored to be under consideration for major music directorships in the US, most recently for the Boston Symphony, where he has been involved earlier in his career.

The program began with a fanfare composed by Oswaldo Golijov (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osvaldo_Golijov) titled “Water and Horse Prelude” commissioned by the ASO to commemorate the tenth anniversary of Mr. Spano’s tenure as Music Director and his partnership with Principal Guest Conductor Donald Runnicles. This prelude is excerpted from Golijov’s opera “Ainadamor” or the Fountain of Tears. The piece is short (about 90 seconds) and includes music written for contrabassoon, string basses, and offstage trumpets. The program note indicates that Jeremy Flowers (http://www.animasperdidas.com/bio_flower.htm), a laptop musician, was also featured. This is an intriguing piece that I found more satisfying that some of the other preludes written for this commemoration.

The rest of the program is a wonderful mix of old and new, and for me, it fortunately did not include any music by Mozart, of whom I have become overdosed this year.

The first piece was Franz Schubert’s “Symphony No. 8 in B Minor, D. 759 (“Unfinished”) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_No._8_(Schubert)). Schubert had a wonderful knack for catchy melodies. The “Unfinished” is one of the most popular staples in concert halls, but for me, it is so beautiful and the themes so successfully developed that I have not tired of hearing it. The ASO performed admirably, with the strings sounding particularly fine, which is becoming increasingly the norm for the orchestra.

The second piece was again by Schubert but orchestrated, based on Schubert’s piano accompaniment, by Golijov. Schubert was known for his songs and this piece, titled “She Was Here”, includes four of them. They are: “Wayfarer’s Night Song” (written by Goethe, “Lied der Mignon” again by Goethe; She has Been Here by Friedrich Ruckert (quoted above;) and “Night and Dreams” by van Collin. All of these poems are very powerful in their lyrical yearnings about deeply felt love. Golijov preserves the vocal line as Schubert wrote it, but added and Introduction and an Interlude. The orchestra included the usual complement of instruments with the addition of the basset horn (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basset_horn), tuned glass (a glass goblet that produces musical tones by means of friction and it’s fun to try at home), and suspended crotales (finger cymbals that create a clear, chiming pitch). This orchestration is very rich and produces sounds not often heard in a concert hall. Ms. Upshaw was the soloist for this music. She has a strong voice that is well controlled and always manages to work in conjunction with the orchestra, neither overpowering it or it overpowering her. This music was stunning. It is so romantic and intense that it is easy to get lost in, particularly when the poems were available through surtitles. Schubert had the lyrical knack, and Golijov truly enhanced it with this transcription and his additions. Again, I commend Spano for performing this wonderful piece.

The next work was “Luonnotar” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luonnotar_(Sibelius)) by Jan Sibelius. This is not a frequently played piece and Sibelius (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Sibelius) has been derided for his musical style, particularly that it was late Romantic, even as more adventuresome composers were his contemporaries. To me, his music is beautiful, lyrical and melodic, and easily accessible. As treacherous as the music is for the soloist, Upshaw performed it with aplomb. The ASO again played impressively, with the strings, and the horns (yes, the horns) being particular standouts.

The final piece for the night was Sibelius’ “Fifth Symphony in E-flat Major” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_No._5_(Sibelius). For me this is thoroughly enjoyable music. It is melodic and lyrical, yet not reticent to use the full resources of the orchestra. It is very accessible music and does not make great demands on the listener. Though Sibelius had not written music for decades, he died while a concert was taking place in Helsinki that featured his Symphony Number 5. To me, this is a lot better than passing while “Who Let the Dogs Out” plays in the background. Again, the ASO was in peak form as was Spano.

This was a wonderful concert and maybe the highlight of the season so far for me. Mr. Spano is to be commended for being so bold as to combine these all of these pieces in one concert, but that’s what makes variety so spicy.

Maybe the Emperor needs new clothes

2011-03-20T13:33:00.000-07:00

The Paul Taylor Dance Company performed at Georgia State’s Rialto Center for the Arts (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rialto_Center_for_the_Arts). This was my first visit to the Rialto, which is an old movie house that has been converted to a multi-purpose performing arts center. It is not a restoration, but rather a rebuilding of this century building. The lobby is rather small and unremarkable. The auditorium has good sight lines, but retains its movie theater “bones.”

The evening began with an overly long award presentation. Please excuse my poor reportage on the recipients but I was there for the performance!

I really like contemporary dance and was looking forward to this performance. The program began with Taylor’s “Company B”, built around the music of the Andrews Sisters, whose songs according to the program, “…express typical sentiments of Americans during World War II.” I know that this is a revered piece but I had a difficult time with it. Its message is presented with great subtlety and in some ways; it struck me as too subtle. If I had not known what to expect, I suspect I might have missed it. I am probably just too concrete, but when ambiguous messages in art must rely on my own projections for me to get the meaning, then it’s bound to be hit or miss. I also do not have a great affinity for the popular music of the thirties and forties, just as I suspect that people born in the sixties might have little affinity for the music of the forties and fifties. My only connection to the Andrews sisters is by way of watching a few black and white movies in which they sang.

I had similar problems with the second piece, titled “Phantasmagoria,” which is danced to music of the Renaissance written by anonymous composers. As best I could tell, the piece is a series of tableaux that have a dream-like feel. It included a nun whose eroticism got the best of her, an Irish tap dancer and a skid row fellow who is intoxicated. The piece has numerous sight gags, although getting laughs from the bad behavior of a “drunk” is just too easy- much like the laughs that resulted from each of Archie Bunker’s toilet flushes.

The final work was titled “Brandenburgs” with music by J. S. Bach. This piece was the highlight of the program for me. It did not have a story that I had to divine and the choreography was abstract for abstraction sake. It was music translated to physicality, without having an accompanying story. It was as if the music was analyzed through a digital process to show the pitch, rhythm, and volume of the composition. The dancers were being the equivalent of the digital display. I have tended toward the Stravinskian viewpoint that music is what it is, and that it does not inherently express emotion, story, etc. In “Brandenburgs,” Taylor gives us a physical representation of music, devoid of our desires to make it be emotional, psychological, etc. For me, this is a great strength of contemporary dance. It isn’t as though dance should not express some meaning that the choreographer extracts from the music based on their own psychological projections. But it seems like such a conceit to me to expect me to figure that out their psychological state in order to understand the piece. “Brandenburgs” avoids this and deals with the music simply as music. To me, it was the best piece of the evening.

The Paul Taylor dancers were technically skilled and performed admirably. They were wonderful to watch.

All of the music for the performance was recorded. Either the source material was poorly compiled or the sound system at the Rialto is second rate. But poor reproduction of music really inhibits my enjoyment of that music. Also, the program included two long intermissions. I thought that the breaks lasted longer than the pieces. I am not sure why there had to be two breaks. There were no elaborate costume or scenery changes and I am all for some rest for the dancers. But the intermissions “broke the spell” and made the evening seem drawn out.

Finally, the audience was noisy. There was chatter all around me. In the rear of the auditorium is an overhang and whispers in the last row seemed to be amplified by it, and the person next to me began to sing one of the Andrews Sisters songs.

Questions about Social Security

2011-03-19T08:49:00.000-07:00

Questions about Social Security:

1. If indeed our OASDI taxes go into the Social Security trust fund and do not require funds from general revenues, how can it be a leading cause of the budget deficit? And what about:

EXCLUSION OF SOCIAL SECURITY FROM ALL BUDGETS Pub. L. 101-508, title XIII, Sec. 13301(a), Nov. 5, 1990, 104Stat. 1388-623, provided that: Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the receipts and disbursements of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund shall not be counted as new budget authority, outlays, receipts, or deficit or surplus for purposes of - (1) the budget of the United States Government as submitted by the

President, (2) the congressional budget, or (3) the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

W Why do we pay OASDI only up to $106,800 of income? Why should someone who makes $50,000 pay on 100% of their income, while those who make millions or billions have to pay OASDI taxes on only a fraction of their income? I know the reason, but I think the question should be asked.

3. If we raise the retirement age to 68 or 69, what happens to someone who loses their job at age 67? Have you seen any company (other than Walmart) who are willing to hire someone at that age? Because our society devalues older people, how are they to get employment until they are eligible for benefits?

Need an adjustment?

2011-03-19T07:24:00.000-07:00

“The Adjustment Bureau” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adjustment_Bureau) is a fantasy staring Matt Damon as David Norris and Emily Blunt as Elise Sellas. It was interesting to see a movie where the two main characters each have a chin cleft. You just don’t see that much anymore. Blunt is absolutely beautiful. I have seen her before, but in “Bureau” she is a knock out. Her character, Elise, is a dancer and has one or two scenes that highlight Blunt’s sculpted body and dance acumen. Apparently she has never been a dancer, so she had to have a crash course in Terpsichore. Check out her walk in those extremely high heels- beautiful.

The movie itself deals with the notion of free will and how somebody or other must intervene from time to time to keep things on plan. Now, if someone has made a plan for our collective lives, then the notion of free will is sort of out the door. Yet, in spite of this conundrum, the movie works. It attempts to show the power of love against the forces of the universe. I bet live would not be so successful however with the banks in the US that seem to above even the laws of the universe.

There is much to like in the performances of Blunt and Damon. She is flirty and seductive. He is upwardly mobile but has had some lapses in judgment that jeopardized his political career. Damon does have a kind of wounded style that makes his characters sympathetic. There is one scene, though, where the two are in bed with heavy-duty shadows. I did notice the clefts, so I am pretty sure it was them. They share a kiss that looks like one of the great failures in cinema lovemaking. It does not look passionate or convincing. I understand that Tom Cruise had to be coached by director Stanley Kubrick on how to be warm toward Nicole Kidman during the filming of “Eyes Wide Shut.” Where is Stanley when we needed him for Matt?

Finally, New York is like a third character in the film. It looks dramatic and beautiful. We don’t seem much of its grittier areas, but there is no particular reason that we should have.

I liked this film but I am a sucker for well done romances. “Portrait of Jennie” is another fantasy romance that I like a lot, even though it was made some 50 years ago. I do not believe that there is some senior-level executive that controls our lives and as Tyler Perry said, “I can do bad all by myself.” On the other hand I do think that there are institutions that do impinge on our free will, sometimes for the good but often not. At least the movie made me think about it.

What a Cunning Little Vixen

2011-03-18T14:02:00.000-07:00

The ASO, under conductor Jakub Hrusa, presented an intriguing program featuring works by Janacek, Mozart, and Dvorak. For me, the excitement was in “The Cunning Little Vixen” Entre-actes from the opera and Dvorak’s Symphony No. 7. I am really Mozarted-out- there is something by him on nearly every playbill this year and I have grown tired of his predictability.

“Vixens” is rarely heard and it’s a pity. Janacek (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leo%C5%A1_Jan%C3%A1%C4%8Dek) is a master or orchestral color. His use of the brass instruments is exciting and he included the contra bassoon, which, at least to my ear, provides a bit of spice to a composition. This piece includes some beautiful melodies for the violins and I was pleased at the precision and tone of the ASO strings. They seem to be getting better all of the time.

Jonathan Biss was the soloist in the Mozart concerto No 12 in A Major. Biss has an ability to play pianissimos without them getting lost against the orchestra and when he plays forte, he has a commanding tone. This particular concerto comes from the Mozart computer that composes music that is indistinguishable from many of his other works. In spite of it being well-played, I just did not like it that much.

After intermission, the ASO played the Dvorak Symphony No 7 in D minor. This is a beautiful Romantic symphony that has wonderful melodies and very nice development. The Scherzo is particularly nice, with its waltz-like them. Again, the ASO strings were magnificent. Even the French Horns, which have been a disappointment to me, were outstanding. Hrusa seems to have augmented some of the Dvorak instrumentation, which highlighted the horns and the string basses. With his approach to the work, this young conductor was able to spotlight how Dvorak was influenced by the friend Brahms. I have never heard this link so beautifully clearly drawn.

Hrusa (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jakub_Hr%C5%AF%C5%A1a) is a 30-year old wunderkind. He has quite a resume and I expect that he will continue to draw attention because of his insightful readings and his attention to dynamics. The ASO seems to respond well to conductors that make their intentions very clear from the podium, for example with Jaap van Zweden, and now with Hrusa. I suppose that would be true with any ensemble.

Before the concert, ASO members played various chamber pieces were members of the audience were able to be on stage with the players, which was a nice touch.

In summary, I think there should be more Janacek and less Mozart. I am not sure, however, that anyone cares!

Brahms' Requiem

2011-03-14T15:37:00.000-07:00

The Michael O’Neal Singers and a chamber orchestra performed Brahms' “Ein Deutches Requiem” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_German_Requiem_(Brahms)) at the Roswell United Methodist Church. It was fortuitous that this most beautiful piece of music was played on the heels of the tragedy in Japan. I was deeply moved by this truly awesome music in the context of this awesome tragedy.

Brahms' Requiem was written for the living- to bring strength and reassurance. It does not talk about sin or the anger and wrath of a distant god, but rather it focuses on goodness, love, hope and comfort for a loved one’s loved ones. Brahms had a tremendous capacity to write beautiful themes and develop them into great symphonic music. In the beginning of the second section (from 1 Peter 1:24), Brahms created a four note theme that is achingly beautiful. It is so sad yet gentle and loving.

The Roswell Church has a cavernous auditorium that has a surprisingly long decay time. The echo it creates was startling. The O’Neal singers were excellent and O’Neal himself was once a member of the legendary Robert Shaw, who led the ASO for years. The chamber-sized orchestra seemed a bit lost in the acoustical space, and the tympani had a “thunk” sound that was a tad jarring. Many of the players were from the ASO. Brahms frequently wrote melodies for the reeds and French Horns to play together, and the horns acquitted themselves beautifully, which sometimes, they do not for the ASO.

There were two soloists, Jana Young, soprano, and John LaForge, Bass-Baritone. I was a bit put off to see that the singers were mic’d, but I guess it might have been necessary in the acoustics of the hall. Lafarge has a powerful voice and he sang powerfully. Ms. Young, however, is past her singing prime. Her voice was thin and shrill, at times.

This music is sublime and heartfelt. The performance deserved the standing O that it received.

Bach B Minor Mass

2011-03-06T10:32:00.000-08:00

The New Trinity Baroque and the Georgia Tech Chamber Choir presented the Bach Mass in B Minor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_in_B_minor). This is a monumental work that demands artistry and stamina from instrumentalists and singers alike.

I was fortunate to sit next to a voice instructor whose son was in the Choir. We talked about the strengths of each singer, which I will share later.

The performance was held at St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church in Atlanta. St. Bart’s is not a great performance space. It is rather small with some of the most uncomfortable chairs imaginable. Pews would be far easier to tolerate. In addition, the way the chairs are lined up, the site lines are terrible. At best you get to see the head of the balding guy in front of you. The acoustics are reverberate but not as to muddy the sound. The modern architecture is, to my tastes, mediocre. It will not win awards for excitement, although there is a large floor to ceiling bay window which must be wonderful in the daytime.

The music is so sublime that the venue shortcomings must be overlooked. It is tricky to present a choir with a period instrument orchestra since the sounds of the latter tend to be more muted that one hears with a modern orchestra. Thus, it would be easy for the singers to overpower the orchestra. Conductor Predrag Gosta kept the balances reasonable. Because of the shallow performance space available, the soundstage was quite wide, but with little depth. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it is a bit unusual.

There were 22 instrumentalists, all playing baroque instruments. This number is quite a bit larger than the usual NTB complement. There was a tremendous solo by Paul Hopkins (http://faculty.goucher.edu/ekoehler/earlybrass/mebf_artists/hopkins.html) playing the Corno da Caccia.

Bach specifies this instrument for parts which require the same virtuosity as the trumpet parts. There is no definitive definition of the Corno da Caccia (hunting horn), so the instrument shown here is based on the requirements of the music that specifies it. By comparison, the large hunting horns which were carried over the shoulder would have necessitated the pitch to be an octave lower, and the music of Bach would then need to be played on the 16th harmonic (partial) and above making it very 'risky'. (From : http://www.matthewparkertrumpets.com/periodin.htm). Hopkins played this difficult instrument without fault. His performance was near perfection.

Another stand out solo was by Marianne Pfau on the Baroque Oboe.

I liked the continuo used by Gosta. It included the Baroque Cello, Violone, Baroque Bassoon, Chitarone, and Chamber Organ. There was no harpsichord and it wasn't missed.

I am not an expert on choral singing, but the Georgia Tech singers seemed competent enough. Sometimes I heard some really harsh “K’s” and hard “C’s”, however.

The soloists were Wanda Yang Temko, soprano; Terry Barber, countertenor; Adam Kirkpatrick, tenor; and Paul Max Tipton, bass. I like Yang Temko’s voice, although my singing coach friend thought her tone was not warm. I asked it that was a fault of the performer of a function of her instrument. Apparently it’s a little of both. Mr. Barber is a wonderful countertenor. Kirkpatrick is a solid tenor. I personal thought that Tipton’s voice was a bit thin, but again the coach said he has a very good bass voice. Shows you what I know. Apropos of nothing, Yang Tempko wore the same dress that perennial prom queen Reese Witherspoon wore the Oscars. I saw that while working out at Golds.

St. Bart’s was packed. People were seated in hallways. Ticket procuring was done in a hallway before entering the sanctuary. It is definitely not large enough an area to handle the crowd that showed up.

Predrag Gosta is a talented and charming person. I assume that because of limited resources, he does a bit of everything, from crowd control, to videotaping, to schmoozing, to lecturing, and, oh yes, conducting. I admire his enthusiasm in doing it all.

It was wonderful to hear the Bach B Minor played by such a competent group.

Dynomite!

2011-03-05T08:24:00.000-08:00

At the Georgian Chamber Players concert a few weeks ago, I had an opportunity to speak with violinist Amy Schwartz Moretti, who had just played a knock-out performance of Tchikovsky’s Tchaikovsky Trio in A minor for Violin, Cello and Piano. She suggested that I attend the upcoming recital of the Ehnes Quartet to be held at Mercer University, where Moretti is a faculty member.

I decided to drive to Macon to see what she promised would be a stellar event. I can say that she did not mislead. James Ehnes, violin; Moretti, violin; Richard O’Neill, viola, and Robert deMaine, cello comprise the Ehnes Quartet. The long concert is part of Mercer’s Masterworks at Noon series.

The program began with Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 10 in E-flat major (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/String_Quartet_No._10_(Beethoven). I have never been partial to Beethoven, but his chamber works seem to be able to highlight his skills. They are melodic and full of wonderful development. The quartet played this music brilliantly. The acoustics of Fickling Hall at the McCorkle Music Building perfectly suit a string quartet. It produces sound that is warm and integrated.

The second piece was Bartok’s String Quartet No. 4

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/String_Quartet_No._4_(Bart%C3%B3k). This performance was unbelievable. It is difficult music for the performers and maybe for some listeners. I am a fan of Bartok’s music and feel that he is underappreciated. He has influenced a lot of modern music, including that of many composers of movie soundtracks. There is a foreboding quality to his works, but it is not frightening or angry, as is the case of some modern music. The sounds he calls for in his music are creative and add a percussive effect, for example, having the violins plucked to the point that the string slaps against the instrument's fingerboard and the glissandi, most notably used with the cello. The members of the Quartet were totally immersed in the playing. They have a big attention- grabbing sound that engaged me throughout the piece. These talented musicians are technically wonderful, and they seem to enjoy performing with each other.

This was one of the best performances I have heard this concert season (in addition to the Tchaikovsky Trio mentioned earlier).

Hmmmm....

2011-03-05T07:39:00.000-08:00

The ASO had as guest conductor Gilbert Varga (http://www.intermusica.co.uk/artists/conductor/gilbert-varga/biography) and piano soloist Pedja Muzijevic (http://www.pedjamuzijevic.com/schedule.html). The program included:

SCHUBERT: Overture in C minor

MOZART: Concerto No. 17 in G Major

J. STRAUSS, JR.: Emperor Waltz

R. STRAUSS: Till Eulenspiegel

Here is the easy stuff. Varga has great hair and haircut. He wore a long coat with a vest and it looked good. He has a very elegant baton technique, that is, he is very graceful while waving the little stick. Muzijevic wore one of those band-collared coats that they use in science fiction movies when they are guessing what men’s clothing will look like in the future. You might want to recall Paul Rieser in “Aliens” for reference.

Now to the more difficult stuff. This program was like eating Wonder Bread. It was fluffy with little of substance, at least for me. It was just an a few degrees away from being a pops concert. The Schubert was originally written as a string quartet but gradually morphed into a piece for an all-string chamber orchestra, which is the version used by the ASO. This piece has Schubert’s characteristic charming melodies that are a feast to the ears. The ASO strings performed capably, but their sound was lost in the Symphony Hall acoustics. I found it difficult to pay attention, since the sound seemed far away- somewhat like background music in a hotel lobby.

The Mozart was well done. It’s not one of Mozart’s most frequently played works. It has the usual Mozartian concerto structure, with elegant melodies and development. Sometimes I think that Mozart found his composing “schtick” and worked it over and over. Pretty, yes- but it presented nothing particularly new or intriguing for me. Muzijevic seemed timid during the usual Atlanta standing ovation. In fact, Varga moved the pianist in front of himself in order to accept the crowd’s applause.

After intermission, Varga conducted the Emperor Walzes. Either the ASO was not really engaged, or Varga was not inspired, or both, but this was a leaden performance. Where was the lilt? Where was the slight hold on Strauss’ high notes, just before they cascade down? Such a brief pause gives the waltz a subtle elegance that makes it more than just a straightforward ¾ count. In the violin section, the first four chairs really dig into the music with their whole body. Most of the other violinists look like they are sawing at their instruments with their attention fully glued to the score in front of them. They play the notes, but do not seem particularly invested in them. That’s one reason, at least for me, that the music seemed too weighty. In addition, the French horns had intonation problems so much that two members of the winds looked at each other with a slight wince. I finally figured out who the culprit is, but no point in pointing fingers. That’s the job of the Music Director.

The “Till” performance was engaging. It is a fun piece of music that does not require a great deal of brain power to enjoy. The ASO performed admirably, even the French horns. The percussion section was in full force and the bass drum was wonderful!

During the drive back to my home after the concert, the New York Philharmonic weekly concert was on WABE. The orchestra was playing Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony. Now that is a challenging piece for both orchestra and listener. It is raw music composed to make a point to the Soviet government and its citizens. This was a powerful performance, even in the confines of my car. It made me wish that Varga had challenged himself a bit more

Cruelty, yes, but democratically determined cruelty

2011-03-04T06:57:00.001-08:00

I cannot get too worked up about the events in Wisconsin, Ohio and South Dakota. The citizens of these states voted for the governments they have. Last I looked; we still live in a republic. Now I may abhor what is happening, I think that the citizens of those states should live with the consequences of their votes. If teachers are laid off and have no collective bargaining rights, so be it. If women must wait an unusually long period of time and endure counseling before an abortion, so be it. Voters must experience first-hand how all of us rely on government aid and services. Our citizenry isn’t very bright (think the sign that said “Keep your government hands off my social security”) and that 20 percent believe that Obamacare has been repealed. I don’t think we can expect those of limited view to really understand what the government does until it affects them directly. So, to those who are being injured, physically, economically or otherwise by these events, you have my sympathy, but this is the will of the people. I personally believe it means that we are entering an era of extreme selfishness and cruelty. But, the electorate has made its selection.

Very Ecumenical but boring

2011-03-01T08:15:00.000-08:00

The Atlanta Chamber Players performed at the Ahavath Achim Synagogue. I was a virgin at being in a synagogue, so attending the concert was a good thing.

The program consisted of a Trio Sonata in G Major by Bach, the Trio Pathetique by Glinka, and Mozart’s Piano Quartet in G Minor. The ACP is mostly made up of first or second chairs of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. For me, this was a deadly dull performance. What? Was there no music written after 1832? The music was so polite and mannerly that it was simply boring. It was played well by the ACP but the program was not the least bit venturesome.

The performance was held in an auditorium at the synagogue. There was a portable shell around the performers, but the acoustics of the hall were so dry that there seemed to be an individual spotlight on each instrument, which is not good for a cohesive sound.

I will give the ACP one more chance, but if it’s not a bit more risk taking, I will save my money.

However, there was a nice reception after the performance, sponsored by the Synagogue.