Red Dragonfly Productions Blog

I went to the Vallejo Symphony last night and experienced "An American Evening" with works by Leonard Bernstein and Aaron Copland. When we hear the word "classical" we often don't think "American." We think Bach, Brahms, Bartok, Shostokovich -- and the list goes on. One tends to forget the rich tradition of American symphonic music and I thank the Vallejo Symphony for reminding me of my musical heritage.

The program opened with Bernstein's "On The Town: Three Dance Episodes." I talked to some high school students seated near me -- Benicia High School's spring production is "On The Town." These talented kids are already in rehearsal and I'm sure were inspired.

The next piece on the program brought up the evening's featured soloist José Franch-Ballester. He played with verve and nuance as he attacked a piece Copland wrote for Benny Goodman. The cadenza connecting the two movements of the clarinet concerto was pure "Goodman!"

The final piece was Copland's "Appalachian Spring" which Copland wrote for Martha Graham. It includes the beautiful Shaker melody "Tis The Gift To Be Simple." The simple purity of this exquisite melody is yet another piece of our American heritage and to hear it played as Copland heard it and by a full symphony was truly a highlight of the evening.

Mr. Franch-Ballester closed the evening with an encore including the principal violins, viola, cello and bass with a piece by the Argentinian composer, Astor Piazzolla. The haunting piece name "Oblivian" was an homage to the many "disappeared." Mr. Franch-Ballester spoke of the period of Argentina's history when people came home to find their father or their uncle gone -- never to be seen again -- not even to ever have a body to bury - they were taken by their government. The composer wrote this piece to honor and remember the many "desaparecidos." The stage lights came down to a soft glow on the small ensemble as they played a piece of longing for loved ones and the pain of not knowing. The lost voices of the "desaparecidos" will linger with me for a long time.

His choice of this encore demonstrates the power and relevance of classical music -- no one who heard this piece walked away without know the pain of a society losing their brothers and fathers and mothers and aunts and uncles and cousins to a brutal government. You can read books and tomes and essays on the plight of the "desaparacidos," or you can listen to this piece.

The Vallejo Symphony is a first class, professional, regional symphony. Congratulations to Maestro David Ramadanoff for your 25 years of leadership!

Labels: Franch-Ballester, Oblivan, Piazzolla, Vallejo Symphony