Comments from ACO's
September 27, 1998 concert at Carnegie Hall
George Crumb: Echoes of Time and the River
George Crumb's 30-year old Pulitzer Prize-winning work Echoes of
Time and the River elicited the most comment from the audience.
This highly ritualistic work--with its unusual set-up, processionals
of instrumentalists, and vocalizations seemed to capture most
listeners attention. Perhaps ironically, or perhaps in the historical
tradition of great concert music, many in the audience commented that
the piece sounded the "newest" or "freshest" or
"most surprising," yet Echoes... was more than
twenty years older than any other piece on the program. Curious too,
how the piece seemed to remind listeners of such diverse music as
Medieval Chant, Asian music, and for one, "it reminded me of
Miles Davis's Bitches Brew."
Many listeners were struck by the non-traditional use of space,
motion and drama: "a real performance art aspect to the piece" "I was surprised at how innovative the Crumb is and that he
is able to create symphonic music built on personal aesthetics
built outside of music (time, harmonics, choreography." "The Crumb sounded the newest to me. So spooky and sparse at the end." "Movement and mix-up." "The piece reminds me of Medea by Euripides."
Others commented on the presence of the human vocalizations in the
orchestral fabric: "human voice used as instruments" "I much appreciated the re-connecting of the human voice
and the medieval aspects of the piece." "Great textures...Whistling glissando was quite eerie! "voiceless horns"
For others it was these elements plus the percussion sounds: "sound produced by mallets on the piano" "The visuals combined with the choral chanting
and inventive percussion made this piece surprising." "Crumb's percussion really stood out."
Most seemed captivated by Echoes: "Brilliant, I'd hear it again and again! "Spectacular"
But some found the experience interesting, but somehow lacking: "A little showy (pretentious)." "full of surprises, but it didn't amount to much musically." "Crumb's exoticism may not endure."
George Perle: Piano Concerto No. 1
 George
Perle's First Piano was performed by Michael Boriskin in the piece's
New York premiere. Many seemed to find the work traditional within
the modern-music language. "Interesting the way he used old forms to get new sounds." "The most structured along "classic" lines. "Perle is a skilled musical artisan."
Many found the the slow-movement of the piece particularly beautiful
and timeless: "The Adagio was classic...wonderful!!" "There was a real sense of longing in the slow movement...universal."
And there were a few interesting suggestions for a new descriptive
title for the concerto: "Riffs for Piano & Orchestra" "The 'I'm Still Here' Concerto." "Unrequited love in a Big City."
Randall Woolf: White Heat
The quick-paced driving music by this rock-influenced composer opened
the program. One listener found it, "the most melodic piece on
the program." Another, "loved the first few minutes, then I
lost interest."
Many picked up on the frantic intensity in the music: "Restlessness in Motion" "Nearing the Event Horizon" "Harlequin's Bicycle Race"
And several felt they would want to hear Mr. Woolf's work again: "Of all the pieces on the program, I'd like to hear this
again to better understand what the composer intended." "I'd like to hear Woolf's pieced again...
the angst would work better a second time."
Melinda Wagner: Concerto for Flute, Strings and Percussion
In Melinda Wagner's Flute Concerto, resident conductor Paul Lustig
Dunkel stepped off the podium into the solo spotlight. The piece,
commissioned by the Westchester Philharmonic, was receiving its New
York premiere, and produced the most colorful analogies: "A mosaic woven of silver, cobalt, and diamonds, rippling with energy." "Vapors" "Veils" "Sounded like a butterfly, a warm spring day,
and a mouse in a French outdoor Cafe."
Many in the audience appreciated the delicacy and texture of the music: "a classic, like Debussy." "Lots of beautiful combinations of sound here! "The novelty of the sounds and the subtle way
the flute was featured made the piece feel new"
Though there were some reservations: "Very nice, good orchestral writing; the orchestra as an instrument,
or more, as a unity of its best parts. Somehow, though, I decided
I could live without the flute part--it actually bothered my enjoyment
of the wee-structured piece--maybe I just don't like the flute with orchestra." "I was surprised by the abruptness with which the Wagner piece ended." "filled with cliches." "I'd like to hear it again to have a chance to concentrate on the structure.
This time I was listening to the texture."
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