CSULB
joins Pasadena POPS with Carl Reiner
By
Bradley Zint
Daily Forty-Niner
Opinion Editor
Every once in a while the crickets surrounding the Pasadena POPS Orchestra
kept in time with the Russian repertoire that filled the air Friday night.
Of course, the little buggers weren’t inside the cellos; they resided
in the brush surrounding the stage. Held in the Descanso Gardens in La Canada
Flintridge, the relaxing outdoor setting was a nice change from the normal
pomp of concert halls.
The program of the evening, “The Russians are Coming! The Russians are
Coming!” was an eclectic mix of music that reflected various aspects
of Russian tradition, from its tragedies to historic successes. In light of
the recent natural disasters of New Orleans and in remembrance of 9/11, conductor
Rachael Worby expressed the music’s ability to heal during such tough
times.
After the national anthem, virtuoso pianist Sarkis Baltaian brilliantly played
a movement from Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2. His mastery, combined
with the orchestral accompaniment, manifested the piano’s amazing ability
to put out so much sound output in a single moment. The piece’s somber
quality through its tragic tone and wild piano oscillations were a fitting
tribute to our nation’s troubled times.
The second selection, a suite from the epic film “Dr. Zhivago,” was
one of my favorites of the entire program. Its sections representing the film
were beautifully played, from the slow, heart-wrenching waltz to the military
marches.
Special guest Carl Reiner, well-known for creating “The Dick Van Dyke
Show” and as Saul from “Ocean’s Eleven,” provided humorous
interlude stories, the most entertaining of which was a story about a man who
lost his nose.
Providing an authentic glimpse of Russia, naturalized American citizen and
musician Eugene Alper sang the folk song “Black Raven.” Although
most of us do not speak Russian, the song’s universal theme of suffering
was something all could understand, as the lyrics told a story of a soldier
who symbolically marries death.
Cal State Long Beach’s very own University Choir took the stage just
before intermission to sing Alexander Borodin’s “Polovetsian Dances.” I
had the pleasure of hearing the group sing the work with the Long Beach Symphony
earlier this year and both performances were awe-inspiring.
After the intermission the orchestra played a Christmas favorite, “Trepak” from
Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker.” Live dancers accompanied the
music in a fashion similar to the ballet.
The program played two more score selections from the films “Russia House” and “The
Russians are Coming! The Russians are Coming!” Surprisingly, the original
composer for the “Russia House,” Jerry Goldsmith, was not even
mentioned by the conductor.
This is especially odd considering the fact Goldsmith passed away just last
year and any performance of his works is a fitting tribute to the musical legacy
he left Hollywood.
Musically speaking, however, both film score selections were interesting new
arrangements and were passionately executed by the solo cellist Andrew Shulman.
The CSULB University Choir brought back Beatles nostalgia with an exciting
rendition of “Back in the USSR.”
The final selection on the program, Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture,” was
a fitting conclusion to the evening. The beginning of the piece began with
choir only and was a great example of simply pure, unadulterated, emotional
sound. Later, towards the finale, the two opposing forces, the choir and orchestra,
blended together well to bring the evening to a glorious conclusion.
Throughout the course of the presentation, the orchestra and choir were amplified.
This both hurt and helped the sound at times, making it either come out too
loud or with a vintage-like vinyl sound.
But despite any odd amplification moments, the rich Russian sound played by
the Pasadena POPS and the CSULB University Choir definitely came and conquered. |
