08-05-2018, 10:16 AM
(This post was last modified: 08-05-2018, 10:17 AM by Drunk Monk.)
After Dixieland 8/4/18
Well, no RotR 2018, which I've whined about enough here already. I could make it for Jerry Day up at McClaren Park today, but I'm opting to rest, to conserve my energies for the next 2+ weeks. Nevertheless, there was this.
The Church Street Festival was going on outside, and I enjoyed a lovely Cape Horn meal of African food and some music from The Joint Chiefs. Stacy bought some homemade soap from an old client from our Riverdeck days.
Dust Devils: A swirling intoxicating piece, but it drew the most lackluster response. Maybe it was primacy effect. Maybe it was because composer Vivian Fung was the least well spoken. But I liked it. I was sorely tempted to try grab a selfie with Fung and 'gram it.
Concerto in D for Violin and Orchestra: Clearly the crowd fav. William Boicom was the professor of the following two composers and well respected. His intro was an amusing cascade of name dropping that I couldn't follow because even though I put on airs about understanding new symphonic music, I don't have that great a grasp on it, less even then my knowledge of Hip Hop or EDM. This piece celebrated Boicom's 80th, and it was a complex 4 movement work that was all over the place, darting from child-like lullabies to ominous dark dirges. Enjoyable and surprising, got us all giggling at some of the hairpin turns. The guest violinist was amazing.
After the break, conductor Cristian Macelaru added an extra piece in honor of immigration. It was short, lovely and poignant but I didn't get the name. He requested that we refrain from applauding, which was a bit awkward.
Rain On It: I never heard the rain. Kirstin Kuster was by far the most entertaining composer in her intro. A respectable piece nonetheless. Full of textures and a workout for the percussion, which is really all I listen to in the symphony.
Walkabout: Concerto for Orchestra: Gabriela Lena Frank gave a passionate intro about diversity and immigration and said this was about finding her roots in Peru. I never heard Peru. Instead, there was a coach's whistle used in it that ruined it all for me. Whistles, banjos and bagpipes have no place in the symphony to my way of thinking. There was a trio of xylophones, which was cool, and that huge 2 meter square piece of hanging sheet metal used for thunder noises played - what is that called? I don't know. But it's an awesome instrument, far superior to the whistle.
New symphonic works are work. They challenge the ear in new ways, evoking a lot of sophisticated musical ideas like jazz, but my musical education isn't academic enough to keep up with it all. Typically this kind of music is only heard in soundtracks, as secondary to the film, so it's really delightful to hear it presented live as its own art form.
I never quite got why this was called 'after dixieland'.
Well, no RotR 2018, which I've whined about enough here already. I could make it for Jerry Day up at McClaren Park today, but I'm opting to rest, to conserve my energies for the next 2+ weeks. Nevertheless, there was this.
The Church Street Festival was going on outside, and I enjoyed a lovely Cape Horn meal of African food and some music from The Joint Chiefs. Stacy bought some homemade soap from an old client from our Riverdeck days.
Dust Devils: A swirling intoxicating piece, but it drew the most lackluster response. Maybe it was primacy effect. Maybe it was because composer Vivian Fung was the least well spoken. But I liked it. I was sorely tempted to try grab a selfie with Fung and 'gram it.
Concerto in D for Violin and Orchestra: Clearly the crowd fav. William Boicom was the professor of the following two composers and well respected. His intro was an amusing cascade of name dropping that I couldn't follow because even though I put on airs about understanding new symphonic music, I don't have that great a grasp on it, less even then my knowledge of Hip Hop or EDM. This piece celebrated Boicom's 80th, and it was a complex 4 movement work that was all over the place, darting from child-like lullabies to ominous dark dirges. Enjoyable and surprising, got us all giggling at some of the hairpin turns. The guest violinist was amazing.
After the break, conductor Cristian Macelaru added an extra piece in honor of immigration. It was short, lovely and poignant but I didn't get the name. He requested that we refrain from applauding, which was a bit awkward.
Rain On It: I never heard the rain. Kirstin Kuster was by far the most entertaining composer in her intro. A respectable piece nonetheless. Full of textures and a workout for the percussion, which is really all I listen to in the symphony.
Walkabout: Concerto for Orchestra: Gabriela Lena Frank gave a passionate intro about diversity and immigration and said this was about finding her roots in Peru. I never heard Peru. Instead, there was a coach's whistle used in it that ruined it all for me. Whistles, banjos and bagpipes have no place in the symphony to my way of thinking. There was a trio of xylophones, which was cool, and that huge 2 meter square piece of hanging sheet metal used for thunder noises played - what is that called? I don't know. But it's an awesome instrument, far superior to the whistle.
New symphonic works are work. They challenge the ear in new ways, evoking a lot of sophisticated musical ideas like jazz, but my musical education isn't academic enough to keep up with it all. Typically this kind of music is only heard in soundtracks, as secondary to the film, so it's really delightful to hear it presented live as its own art form.
I never quite got why this was called 'after dixieland'.
Shadow boxing the apocalypse