PETER AND THE WOLF IN CENTRAL PARK

 the Cast of Peter and the Wolf

Sergei Prokofiev's 1936 symphonic fairy tale Peter and the Wolf was our very own introduction to classical music and led to a lifelong appreciation. To this day we cannot hear a bassoon without thinking of Peter's grandfather. The iterations of the piece are multiple and we once spent an inordinate amount of time searching for a copy of a jazz/rock version on the Deutsche Grammophon label. We failed.

But we always come to hear Isaac Mizrahi's version at the Guggenheim museum, part of their Works and Process series. The multi-talented Mr. Mizrahi conceived and directed the show, performed the engaging and droll narration, and designed the apposite costumes for the performers.

String players are placed stage right, percussion is stage left, and the wind instruments representing the various characters share the stage with some very fine dancers performing choreography by John Heginbotham. Maestro Michael P. Atkinson conducted the ensemble. The music is tuneful and accessible, not to mention enchanting.

The role of Peter was performed by Kara Chan wearing a propeller beanie.  Peter's antics were represented by five string players (string quartet plus bass from Ensemble Connect). Paige Barnett Kulbeth made a finely feathered bird, dancing on point with true avian disregard for gravity. Her flightiness was represented by the richly ornamented flute melody played by Anjali Shinde. Marjorie Folkman lurched around on large flipper feet as Sonya the Duck, represented by the mournful oboe of Joseph Jordan, whilst Zach Gonder exhibited feline friskiness as the Cat, whose nimble motion was echoed by Bixby Kennedy's clarinet. 

There was plenty of humor in Grandfather's untimely appearance which was gently remonstrated by Mr. Mizrachi. The role was performed by Norton Owen whose elderly plodding was seconded by the bassoon of Marty Tung.

But oh, that wolf! Daniel Pettrow was sitting on a park bench, hiding in plain sight behind an open newspaper, waiting for his cue. Never has the French Horn (Ryan Dresen) sounded so menacing! This lupine creature was kind of adorable, even as he terrorized the bird and the cat. He managed to swallow the duck whole but never fear for the tender feelings of your rugrats. She somehow survives and the wolf is taken to the local zoo.

Making an appearance toward the end is the Hunter, in this case, since we are in Central Park, a chubby and somewhat foolish park ranger, played by Derrick Arthur, supported by the booming percussion of Brandon Ilaw. Knitting the music together was the piano of David Bernat.

Judging by the rapt attention of the children in the audience, this modernized version of a Russian folktale made sense. It is rather sanitized and avoids the unconscious significance of the dangers of the forest which 

Bruno Bettelheim described as being useful in the psychological development of children in his book The Uses of Enchantment.

Nonetheless, it remains a fine means of introducing children to classical music. Unfortunately, we attended the final performance of this year but do keep it in mind for next December, as we are sure Works and Process at the Guggenheim will present it again.

© meche kroop

ENSEMBLE CONNECT

Rosie Gallagher and Julia Yang 

With vocal music at the top of our list, we rarely attend instrumental recitals but the three composers on last night's program at Juilliard are well known to us by way of their vocal compositions, so we were eager to see how we would react to their instrumental music. If we were to appreciate this music we would want to hear it well played and so we did. 

Celebrating its 10th anniversary during the 2016–2017 season, Ensemble Connect—formerly known as Ensemble ACJW—is a two-year fellowship program for the finest young professional classical musicians in the United States that prepares them for careers combining musical excellence with teaching, community engagement, advocacy, entrepreneurship, and leadership. It offers top-quality performance opportunities, intensive professional development, and the opportunity to partner throughout the fellowship with a New York City public school.

James Austin Smith, Remy Taghavi, Mika Sasaki, Nicolee Kuester
and Bixby Kennedy

The first ensemble of the evening comprised Rose Gallagher playing the flute and Julia Yang playing the cello. The work was by Heitor Villa-Lobos whose Bachianas Brazileiras has always delighted us especially when sung by Larisa Martinez! The work they chose, Assobio a Jato from 1950, was a bit more modern than our preferred period but we found it original and it held our interest.  Ms. Gallager tooted away while Ms. Yang produced a long legato line--but then the the flute picked up the lyricism and the cello went all pizzicato. We loved the sonorities of the Adagio movement but found the strange "jet-engine" ending a bit bizarre.

The second group to perform joined forces for Mozart's 1784 Quintet for Piano and Winds in E-flat Major, K. 452. This unusually scored piece reveals Mozart's inventiveness at its height. The melodies therein would find a home in any of Mozart's operas (and no doubt, some of them did, since they sounded deliciously familiar). The Larghetto was delightful and sweetly lyrical with a touching section in the minor key. Nicolee Kuester had a fine horn solo. The ensemble comprised four other grand musicians--James Austin Smith playing oboe, Bixby Kennedy playing clarinet, Remy Taghavi playing bassoon--and all knit together by Mika Sasaki playing the piano.

TRIBUTE OR DESECRATION?

Mark Padmore, Sir Simon Rattle, and Ensemble Connect

We long ago lost count of how many times we have thrilled to Schubert's Winterreise. The grief in Wilhelm Müller's poetry comes in varied shades of grey and at the end we feel a tremendous catharsis.  We have heard the magnificent cycle sung by the famous and by students at Juilliard. Almost always, the intimacy of the connection has touched us deeply.

There have been only two performances that failed to thrill us.  One involved lots of distraction by a troupe of modern dancers who shall remain unnamed; the other performance was by an elderly croaker who should have known better.

Yesterday's performance at Zankel Hall sounded tempting--an "interpretation" of the work by Hans Zender--composed for tenor and small orchestra.  No doubt the generous applause at the conclusion of the 90 minute work indicated that many people did enjoy the work. We did not.

Admittedly, the orchestral writing was original and involved a plethora of unusual sounds. The instrumentation included accordion, harp, contrabassoon, chimes, two wind machines, alto flute, piccolo, and a great variety of percussion. The young musicians of Ensemble Connect, under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle, did what was asked of them. They played up and down the aisles, from the second level, and from outside the doors of the parterre. This was more distracting than artistic, especially when the doors creaked.

Schubert's melodies were altered in multiple ways with motifs often repeated. The various sound effects were meant to reproduce the natural elements mentioned in the text--the posthorn, the crow, the wind. There was much scraping and banging. At one point we heard arhythmic hammering coming from backstage and wondered what was being constructed.

Tenor Mark Padmore, who was "on the book" was requested to shout at times, or whisper, or use sprechstimme. His performance, in any case, was overshadowed by all the elaborate effects. We couldn't keep from thinking of hyperactive children, each screaming for attention.  Obviously Mr. Zender had no idea of "Less is More".

The cycle was completely robbed of its intimacy and seemed wrongheaded to us. We imagine that lovers of modern music who had never heard nor developed affection for the cycle, might have enjoyed it more than we did.  For us it was like adding arms to The Venus de Milo!

(c) meche kroop