Seen 9/22/2017
Let me preface this by saying that I am no musician. I do not have the ear to appraise the quality of what I am hearing. I can only state how I felt about it.
Friday evening’s concert featured three pieces. Two well-known and one unfamiliar to me. The first piece on the program was the one that was unfamiliar. It was called These Worlds In Us by Missy Mazzoli. In the program notes she states, “I like the idea that music can reflect painful and blissful sentiments in a single note or gesture, and sought to create a palette that I hope is at once completely new and strangely familiar to the listener.” I feel that she achieved this. The piece combined a contemporary sensibility in the construction and sound of the music with a sort of edgy otherworld feeling while retaining the melody and harmony of classical works. The work is dedicated to her father who was a soldier in Vietnam and is inspired by a poem that meditates on the loss of a loved one in war. She captures the tension and feel of the military her use of the percussion and electronica drumbeats. She also infuses elements of Balinese music to enhance the feeling of being elsewhere. I felt that I was indeed, listening to something new but familiar. It fit well with the other pieces on the bill.
The second piece is perhaps the most well-known piece of music in the world. If for no other reason than it pervasive use in United commercials. I speak of course of Rhapsody In Blue by George Gershwin. The first word that come to mind is majestic. This piece feels as big as a full symphony because so much greatness is packed into. It makes me feel like it was written to reflect a grand day in New York City. You get the opening oboe solo waking you up to a marvelous sunrise and then move into the hustle bustle of a busy day. The piano part was played by Kevin Cole with energy and wit. He draws one into the playful and vibrant nature of the piece. There may be some looseness in the structure but that is perfectly in keeping with its American nature and the jumbled yet energized feel of life in an American city. The symphony was nothing less than brilliant, bringing to full life the epic power and glory of this music.
The pianist treated us to two encores. He gave us Fascinating Rhythm and I’ve got Rhythm. He made both these pieces so joyful that one could not help be happy. His playing of the latter piece was so energetic and fast that he was literally bouncing along to the melody. Cole made this music at once familiar and completely new. We knew the music but his individual spin also made them feel brand new. This was truly standout playing and interpretation of Gershwin.
The second half of the program was Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64. The program notes are full of what the piece is supposed to reflect. Such things as moving from darkness to light and from melancholy to joy. I know that I simply enjoyed it. The Colorado Symphony brilliantly captured all the moods of the piece.
This evening was a joy. In large part because the new music director, Brett Mitchell made it so. He is an engaging personality with a clear passion for music and more importantly for the music makers. A passion that he let’s us see with humor and intelligence. His conducting is wonderful. You can tell the musicians respect him and respond with their best playing to his baton. Most importantly, it is clear that he the respects and values the musicians and the huge talent they bring to bear in realizing great music making. This is not something I have felt in the Boetcher Hall in a long time. It makes me want to attend the symphony more.
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