David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center. Orchestra (Seat X103, $82.50).
Program
When the World as You’ve Known It Doesn’t Exist
(2019) by Reid (b. 1983).
Dark Harbor XXXV and Dark Harbor XI, from The
Strand Settings (2012-13) by Hillborg (b. 1954).
Virus (2011) and All Is Full of Love (1997)
by Bjork (b. 1965); orch. H. Ek (2016).
Symphony No. 4 in E-flat major, Romantic (1874/1878-80,
1886; ed. R. Haas, 1936) by Bruckner (1824-96).
Singers for Reid’s composition: Eliza Bagg, Martha
Cluver, Esteli Gomez.
This is the case of a well-known name helping to sell
tickets. I included this concert on my
CYO subscription on the strength of her name.
That I had no idea how Bjork would figure in a classical concert did not
deter me from doing so.
We can start with those two pieces, since I don’t have a
lot to say about them. It was a large
orchestra, and Fleming used a microphone.
Evidently her practice is to use one for Broadway or pop songs (which
she also did at the NJ State Theater in a concert I attended). At the beginning she mentioned that concert
programs were decided up to two years in advance, and no one had any idea that
the COVID-19 virus would wreak such havoc on China (especially Wuhan) and she
would send her love. The song titles
describe the songs rather well: one was about how a virus attaches itself to a
person, and the other is about unrequited love.
There is enough ambiguity in the lyrics that one could interpret them in
a variety of ways, good, bad, or indifferent.
All I can say after hearing these two songs: I don’t understand why
Bjork is so famous. Which may say more
about more closed mind than her appeal to her many fans. Interesting fact: Bjork has a last name
Guomundsdottir, reflecting the name of her father in the Icelandic tradition.
Mark Strand (1934-2014) was a Pulitzer-winning poet. His work is often described as “dark,” which
is also a word used often by him. Anders
Hillborg took four of his poems from Strand’s Dark Harbor – a 45-part poem
preceded by an introduction - as the basis for his composition “The Strand
Settings.” The poems suggest “a journey
from uncertainty to safe harbor, perhaps a consolation of advancing age.” The songs were composed on commission from
Carnegie Hall and the New York Philharmonic, and dedicated to Renee Fleming,
who was involved with the composer in the process. Kisses are the subject of XXXV, and XI
connotes lovers finding safe haven from the elements.
Here Renee Fleming sang without the aid of a microphone
against the large orchestra. I sometimes
find her voice a bit on the harsh side, which actually was quite suited to the
bleak and bitter tone of the lyrics. Those
were the phrases I jotted down as she sang, not quite how the Program Notes
describes the songs.
Renee Fleming after her performance.
Ellen Reid, also a Pulitzer Prize winner, is the second
Project 19 composer we encountered. She
describes her composition as not directly about the 19th Amendment,
but about freely presenting her artistic voice.
She also described what the work meant to her, and that she hopes each
listener has their own journey. One would think the previous statement makes sense only when a listener understands what she has to say; or perhaps I am very limited in how I appreciate music.
Readers of this blog know I have trouble with fancy or
clever titles, in this case I have no idea how the description Reid provides in
the Playbill would lead one to think about one’s world not existing. Neither does the music. It does contain some of the “clouds of sound,
exaggerated contrasts, large drop-offs, and surprise.” And there were three women’s voices added to
the mix. I do wonder, given Reid’s
connection to film music, if she ever imagined a movie unfolding as the music
is played.
Composer Ellen Reid and the three vocalists for her work.
One wonders why van Zweden picked a long Bruckner
symphony as the second half of the program.
While quite a few people left after the first part of the program, I am
of the opinion that the Bruckner was by itself worth the price of admission. The four movements are: (i) Moving not too
fast; (ii) Andante quasi Allegretto; (iii) Scherzo and Trio: Moving – Not too
fast, on no account dragging; and (iv) Finale: Moving, but not too fast. Bruckner evidently used a mix of Italian and
German in his movement markings. The
first movement was particularly enjoyable, the many repeats of the themes (as
Bruckner is wont to do) did not feel boring at all.
This was supposedly one of the few Bruckner compositions
with a “program” behind it, and the composer did offer up some short
descriptions of the four movements. The first
describes a morning at a medieval city, second is a rustic love scene, the scherzo
a hunt, the trio a dance melody, and the finale a folk festival. I could make a case that’s how the music
sounded like, with the exception that I wouldn’t have imagined that’s what a
folk festival looked like.
The Bruckner symphony produced great sound effects with just a "traditional" complement of orchestral instruments.
We noticed the Assistant Principal of NJSO’s cello section
on stage. She is still on the NJSO
roster, an extra? Or greener pasture?
We got to the city at around 6 pm, so had time to have a
proper dinner at a neighborhood restaurant.
There was no detour on the way back.
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