Word: concertos
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April 2 marked the performance of what just could be the new soundtrack for The Phantom Menace. Not exclusively modern, the program did include Brahms' "Piano Quarter in minor, Opus 25" along with Bohuslav Martin's more contemporary "Memorial to Lidice" and Bela Bartok's "Violin Concerto No. 2." Even this was tainted by the great Modernist Arnold Schoenber who re-arranged the chamber piece for orchestra. According to the program notes, "Johannes Brahms and Arnold Schoenberg are [not-so] strange bedfellows" in a filigree of 20th century musical fracas that indeed would have made Obi-Wan proud...
...remaining pieces were also excellently executed. Perhaps the most famous of all child prodigies, Midori, like many one name phenoms (Madonna, Cher, etc.) has a style that is hardly replicable by any other. Playing what was once considered the Bartok Violin Concerto (before the discovery of the First Violin Concerto), one was led to a feeling of extreme awe. Awe at the masterful execution by this petite Japanese virtuoso, awe at her apparent humility, and just plain heart-thumping, jaw-dropping...
...Eliot Chamber Orchestra gave the fourth annual Rainforest Concert, to benefit the World Wildlife Fund. The small crowd was not disappointed, as the virtuosity of the two featured soloists (Joe Lin '00 and Yuki Sekino '99) proved to be irreproachable. Lin gave the fifth Mozart Violin Concerto and, due to the inferior quality of the ensemble, was forced to take everything down a notch. Tempi lagged but, on the other hand, the winds were wonderful in the andante. John Allanbrook '99, a musical jack-of-all-trades, elicited a deliberate, score--fixated performance from his musicians-perhaps not so surprising...
...Standing ovations have clearly been stripped of their meaning, since this middling concert got two. All in all, then, balance was an issue, and one would hope for more from the BSO. Perhaps pianist Maria Joao Pires will make a more favorable impression with the Mozart Concerto...
...tough choice whether to prefer Sekino's amazing dynamic control or her fabulous dress. Her rendition of the Mozart G Major Concerto began with projection problems but blossomed into a miracle of subtly shaded staccati. To be fair, Lin was better at conversing with theorchestra, but Sekino gave a more exciting performance. Where appropriate, she amplified the music to operatic dimensions...