One didn’t
really know what to expect when attending the Lansing Symphony Orchestra’s
final concert on their Masterworks series Saturday night.
From reading
the program (printed last year) we knew that composer-in-residence, Patrick
Harlin, would premiere a new piece but we didn’t know the name. The piano soloist
was yet to be announced because he or she had not been named as the Gilmore
Young Artist for 2022. But we thought, at least, that we knew what the winner
would be playing - Beethoven’s 1st Piano Concerto.
But even
that wasn’t accurate. As it turned out, the only thing that remained constant
in the program was the last piece of the evening, Brahms Symphony No. 2.
With all of
these unknowns, who would have predicted that Saturday’s concert was probably
the most stimulating concert of the entire LSO season?
Classical
concerts are usually filled with grey hair and canes, but this one was turned
on its head by two enthusiastic and talented young men who are primed to have
huge international careers.
Lansing audiences
are getting to know Patrick Harlin,37, since he has been the LSO composer-in-residence
since 2019. But this new work was something special.
Harlin has a
fervent interest in nature and the world around us. So, it makes sense that he
would want to write a piece based on 21st century space travel.
Last year he
applied to fly in a spaceship and write music based on that experience. Alas, the
spaceship ride didn’t come to pass but writing a piece about space travel stuck
with him.
What
resulted was a beautiful, almost visual journey through the stars called "Earthrise". His
brilliant orchestration used every square inch of the orchestra. He scored some
particularly vivid sections for the brass section.
The music
was lustrous and dreamy, but you never knew where it would take you. One memorable
element had Maestro Timothy Muffitt, extend his arm and sweep it back and forth
across the orchestra like watch hands. Actually,
Harlin described it like a lighthouse light, going from left to right. The musicians played only when the maestro’s
arm was facing them directly.
This unique conducting
directive was fascinating to watch and the musical outcome was equally fascinating
to hear.
Personally,
I felt the work needed a bit more development in some of the slower
sections. Harlin had a lot to say about
space travel, but some of it could have been richer and had more depth.
The Gilmore
winner was Clayton Stephenson, 23, who is now pursuing a double degree in music
from the New England Conservatory and economics from Harvard.
The charismatic
young man called Muffitt and asked if he could switch the piece he was originally
scheduled to play, from the Beethoven to the Florence Price “Piano Concerto in
One Movement”. Stephenson had just been invited to the Van Cliburn Competition which required him to learn many new pieces and asdding the Beethovon did not fit into his schedule.
As soon as
Stephenson touched the keyboard, it was clear that he was committed to this
music. He was confident and eager to give Price’s passionate music all the feeling
it deserved.
Whether he
was playing delicate lyricism with the woodwinds or big robust moments with the
entire orchestra, Stephenson was powerful. His fiery technique was superb, and his
phrasing was warm and moving. And Price’s
music was an eclectic mix of soulful and dance music, painted with the same
brush as the European romantic masters.
It was thrilling
to listen to this young talent playing music we didn’t know. The audience was enthusiastic
and the pianist, wearing a big brash smile, came out to play two encores: A
wild and fearless high wire act of a piece called “The Tom and Jerry Show” by Uehara
and a more romantic piece by Godowsky, “Symphonic Metamorphosis No.2”. He knew
he had the audience with him, and the young virtuoso gave these pieces flourish
and flash.
Remember Clayton
Stephenson’s name. He’s already had much success in his young career, but he’ll
have plenty more.
While the audience
may have been waiting for the familiar Brahms 2nd to compete the
program, the performance did not match the delight of the first half of the
concert. It was almost a letdown.
What we had
in the first half – new music and young musicians – is a recipe for bringing fresh
new audiences to LSO concerts.
1 comment:
What a pleasure to read. I live in Florida, have never visited Lansing, and have little interest in classical music. But I love reading your posts as thoughtful and elegantly written essays. This one is particularly sharp and moving. Thanks.
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