Weiss offered a graceful interpretation that was assertive, majestic and rhythmically propulsive in the outer movements, while gently lyrical in the amorous andante. It was especially refreshing to hear immediately following "Love Songs" in a distinguished performance by Orion Weiss, 25, a recent Juilliard graduate who has studied with Emanuel Ax and seems to be on a significant career ascent that began with his Cleveland Orchestra debut nine years ago. Shorn of its cinematic fleece, the work stands as one of the high points of Mozart's instrumental output. 21 in C was overexposed for a time because the highly romantic slow movement highlighted the soundtrack of the 1967 Swedish film "Elvira Madigan." That subtitle was affixed to the piece for a while, primarily by concert promoters and record-label marketers. One woman muttered, "At least it wasn't loud." But the stony-faced expressions displayed by the Albany Symphony musicians spoke volumes. The audience offered the requisite polite applause at the end, and several listeners - including local composers - were heard to say that they "enjoyed" it. The cadenzas, in particular, offered a blend of caterwauling, ooing and cooing (Bleckmann was equipped with a mute that looked for all the world like a broken-off toilet plunger) and, although only several minutes each, they seemed interminable. It's tempting to offer more examples, but consider yourself spared. Here's a choice sampling from the printed texts which could not be followed with the house lights down: Despite the miked amplification, most of the lyrics could not be understood, which may have been blessing. Unhooked from the electronic jungle, one could imagine some fine fiddling from the soloist.Īs for Bleckmann, there was minimal singing ability on display for this outing perhaps he was defeated by the material. He swayed to and fro as he churned out fragments of melody and pizzicato accompaniments to Bleckmann's vocalization of lyricist Larry Beinart's five songs. Reynolds, whose instrument was wired for amplification and supposed special effects, displayed considerable technical ability. The natural setting for the 20-minute work would have been as an opening act on a Las Vegas stage or as a warmup for, say, a Josh Groban pops concert. But "Love Songs," intended to chronicle a lifelong romance based on Rolnick's own 36-year marriage, had a decidedly retro sound.īilled alternately as a song cycle and a double concerto for voice and violin, the score features heavily pops-influenced, lush strings, punctuated by periodic outbursts from brass and percussion.Ī jungle of wiring at the front of the stage connected violinist Todd Reynolds and vocalist Theo Bleckmann to an array of computerized electronic equipment, including a synthesizer that was used primarily during the soloists' pair of improvised cadenzas. Rolnick has a certain cachet in experimental, electronic music circles regionally through his 27-year connection with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y.
0 kommentar(er)
