Friday, September 19, 2008
ZAPPA THE COMPOSER MEETS ASU, THE WIND ENSEMBLE
I just got back from seeing a concert featuring the ASU Wind Ensemble and the ASU Symphonic Band, who in various incarnations performed six modern compositions from six different composers, five American and one Dutch. It was a fine show and totally free, at Gammage Auditorium.
The show opened with the 25-piece wind ensemble playing FZ's Dog/Meat. For those of you who don't know, this is a medley of two Frank Zappa instrumentals entitled "Uncle Meat" and "Dog Breath (in the Year of the Plague)." They work quite well together, which is why, I presume, FZ fused them together for orchestra.
Since the much larger symphonic band took up the bulk of the stage, the wind ensemble (except for the percussionists) began their performance in the depths of the orchestra pit, and as the first notes of the song were played, the group arose on a pneumatic lift -- dressed to a person like hippies, circa 1968. No tuxes and black dresses here, but wigs, headbands, jeans, sandals and bare feet. Even the conductor wore a t-shirt with a "Rolling Stone" logo on it.
I don't think the old fuddy duddies in the audience "got it," as far as the wardrobe was concerned, but the band played the piece well and got a tumultuous response when it was over.
Instrumentation for the piece included three percussionists, two pianos, a banjo player, an acoustic guitar, harp, three violinists, one cello, and quite a few horns.
The whole show was very enjoyable. It's nice to see that people will come out to hear music that challenges them, as many of the pieces did. (The piece by the Dutch composer, named Andriessen, was especially off-the-wall and intense.)
------
After the show I headed down to a Tempe open mic that I hadn't been to in a long time since gas became two million dollars a gallon. Everyone was glad to see me, I cracked everybody up with my set and I had a good time.
What did YOU do Thursday night?
TT
I just got back from seeing a concert featuring the ASU Wind Ensemble and the ASU Symphonic Band, who in various incarnations performed six modern compositions from six different composers, five American and one Dutch. It was a fine show and totally free, at Gammage Auditorium.
The show opened with the 25-piece wind ensemble playing FZ's Dog/Meat. For those of you who don't know, this is a medley of two Frank Zappa instrumentals entitled "Uncle Meat" and "Dog Breath (in the Year of the Plague)." They work quite well together, which is why, I presume, FZ fused them together for orchestra.
Since the much larger symphonic band took up the bulk of the stage, the wind ensemble (except for the percussionists) began their performance in the depths of the orchestra pit, and as the first notes of the song were played, the group arose on a pneumatic lift -- dressed to a person like hippies, circa 1968. No tuxes and black dresses here, but wigs, headbands, jeans, sandals and bare feet. Even the conductor wore a t-shirt with a "Rolling Stone" logo on it.
I don't think the old fuddy duddies in the audience "got it," as far as the wardrobe was concerned, but the band played the piece well and got a tumultuous response when it was over.
Instrumentation for the piece included three percussionists, two pianos, a banjo player, an acoustic guitar, harp, three violinists, one cello, and quite a few horns.
The whole show was very enjoyable. It's nice to see that people will come out to hear music that challenges them, as many of the pieces did. (The piece by the Dutch composer, named Andriessen, was especially off-the-wall and intense.)
------
After the show I headed down to a Tempe open mic that I hadn't been to in a long time since gas became two million dollars a gallon. Everyone was glad to see me, I cracked everybody up with my set and I had a good time.
What did YOU do Thursday night?
TT
Comments:
I went to my usual BodyCombat class, had dinner, went to Massage Envy for my monthly deep tissue. Yeah, pretty boring. Tonight I'm going to see some Celtic fiddler with the Phoenix Symphony downtown.
-Nan
-Nan
# posted by 
: 2:58 PM
: 2:58 PM
Actually, Nan, I was thinking of calling you but I seemed to remember that you had your body combat class. I think you would have liked it, though...
TT
Post a Comment
TT
