Word: strings
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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...despite the awkward ending on which the evening ends, Boston Ballet's Body Electric stands out as a fusion of quality art and aesthetic enjoyment, of pleasure for the eye and ear. Although each of the dances stands out as an original work, one firm string ties them all together: pushing the boundaries (and creating new ones) of expression through human movement. "Waterbaby Bagatelles" questions those boundaries. "Four Hands" celebrates them. And "Celts" puts them to a great rhythm. For that and that alone, Body Electric transcends all questions about the purpose of art and becomes, quite simply great...
...shoulder during the silky orchestral introduction, then abruptly interrupted the orchestra as he entered. Norton Lecturer Joseph Kerman described the violin as "ruthless" in the first movement of the concerto; Lin's fiery performance did indeed seem threatening. The assaulting violin grew almost unbearably loud, until--SNAP!--broken string brought the concerto to a crashing halt. Buzzing murmurs controlled the theater until Lin returned, new string installed, and Yannatos rebegan the concerto...
...second listen to the first few minutes provided an opportunity to more fully absorb the complexities of Lin's remarkable performance. HRO lockstep accompaniment was seamless. The sheer physicality of the performance was mesmerizing. Stretching string players and puffing wind players provided little visual contrast to Lin as he leaned and swayed with his violin, and the stage seemed a kinesthetic blur of motion as the insistent, piercing violin relentlessly piled the tension higher. Huge silences punctuated the cadenza; Lin masterfully made the gaping gaps of sound as arresting and palpable as his pure high melodies or mellifluous low phrases...
There was no shuffling of programs. No peeking at watches. No glancing at the hairdo of the woman across the aisle. When the Guarneri String Quartet came to Boston last Friday, they held an entire audience in captivating. The effect was a feeling of anticipation that made it seem as though you were not in Jordan Hall, but in a Sony Theatre. As patrons sat with their necks outstretched and their shoulders leaning forwards, they resembled an audience that might have been anticipating Bruce Willis to defuse a bomb or Keanu Reeves to board a bus--not four smallish string...
...fundamental question of the 1960s: Who has authority, and why? Six months later, the question was posed again in Dallas, when the squeeze of a trigger snuffed out the life of the world's most powerful man--the ultimate attack on authority. Kennedy's assassination began a nightmarish string that ended with the 1968 slayings of King and Robert Kennedy. Great leaders were called, great leaders were murdered, and great cities burned, baby, burned. And through it all, Vietnam was blazing too, an unwinnable, unfathomable, undeclared war that claimed 57,605 American lives in exchange for--what? The country never...