- Home
- News Grid
- Local News
- Green Hawk
- Business
- Politics
- School Zone
- Youth Camps
- Nonprofits
- Missing Pets
- Multimedia
- Arts
- Movies
- Outdoors
- Sports
- News Releases
- Columnists
- Blogs
- Opinions
- Classifieds
- Advertise
- Donate
- Partners
Margo Kline: Academy Orchestra Brings Exotic Works to Granada
The Music Academy of the West programs a wealth of serious classical works every summer, and on Saturday night, its Festival Orchestra added a measure of true originality.
Furthermore, the festival orchestra comes together every summer almost like a pickup band, and on this occasion faced a substitute conductor after Jeffrey Kahane had to bow out because of illness. The colorful young Norwegian maestro Arild Remmereit proved to be a smashing surrogate.
The program more than met expectations, as a nearly full house at The Granada heard three works that are, to say the least, not performed all that frequently.
First on the program was Sergei Rachmaninoff’s introspective Isle of the Dead, composed in 1909 after the Russian had viewed the painting of the same name by Swiss artist Arnold Bőcklin. The picture, according to the program notes, made quite an impression at the end of the 19th century — two robed figures in a boat, seen from the back, approaching a cypress grove on a rock-bound island with a coffin on board.
Rachmaninoff had recently completed his Second Symphony and his Third Piano Concerto — two dazzling works that would seem to have little in common with the somber Isle of the Dead. The Granada audience gave the work prolonged applause.
After this somber beginning, the orchestra then played Samuel Barber’s Medea’s Dance of Vengeance, Opus 25a. Any resemblance to the composer’s seraphic Adagio for Strings is nonexistent. Originally composed as a seven-part score for choreographer Martha Graham in 1946, Medea is a musical portrayal of the Greek sorceress’ rage and dreadful crime of revenge on her husband, Jason.
After intermission, the orchestra played Igor Stravinsky’s 1947 revision of the ballet Petrushka, a Burlesque in Four Scenes, originally written in 1910-11. Stravinsky went to work on this extravaganza not long after his success in 1908 with The Firebird and Sergei Diaghilev’s Ballet Russes in Paris.
“Petrushka” is the Russian equivalent of “Punch” in western puppetry, a figure of mischief and mockery. Stravinsky’s music transforms the character into a sad and lovelorn figure more like Pierrot in commedia del’arte. The music is rife with old Russian folk themes, as well as the modern dissonance that Stravinsky put to use well before the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution. Pianist Marnie Hauschildt brought home the work’s evocation of Russian street fairs, and the ebullient conductor Remmereit virtually danced on the podium as he led the orchestra.
Of course, the audience members rose to their feet for an ovation at concert’s end. These young academy fellows are simply the cream of the crop, from places as far-flung as Texas and Inchon, South Korea.
A word of commendation is also in order for Richard Feit, the Music Academy’s vice president for artistic programs and operations. He came up with this selection of thought-provoking and infrequently heard music.
— Margo Kline covers the arts as a Noozhawk contributor.
Comments
Noozhawk's comments are moderated, but by posting here you accept your responsibility to follow our rules.
- No abusive, defamatory or libelous attacks. In plain English: No personal attacks.
- No vulgar or discriminatory language.
- If you do not follow these rules, don't be surprised if your comment is removed.
- Please use the Report Abuse button on offensive comments.
- Share what you know, ask about what you don't. Give us your eyewitness accounts, observations, background and history. Tell us what else you want to know about the story.
- Stay on the topic, PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK, and forgive people their spelling errors.
Noozhawk's intent is not to limit the discussion of our stories but to elevate it. Thank you for your respectful participation. Click here for our complete Terms of Use.
Comments are moderated, and will not appear until they've been approved.
More Local News »
Paul Mann: Sunset Strip Music Festival Celebrates Tradition
More than 50 bands keep the Hollywood haunt rocking for three days
Gerald Carpenter: UCSB’s Helen Callus to Wrap Up ‘Bach Project’
She'll perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara
Photographer Kevin Steele Presents Solstice Portraits
His exhibition will be on display in the gallery at Samy's Camera through September
Paul Mann: Sunset Strip Music Festival Pays Tribute to Slash
Rock stars descend on the Hollywood House of Blues for opening night
Gerald Carpenter: PCPA to Close Season with ‘Invierno ’
The play runs Aug. 27 through Sept. 19 in the Severson Theatre at Allan Hancock College
Weather: Fair 59.0º
Search Noozhawk »
