Weird Folk

Last night's performance at the L.A. Philharmonic included several of Debussy's "Preludes," Stravinky's "Les Noces," and Salonen's "Piano Concerto." The highlight of the performance was the Stravinsky work re-arranged to replace the four pianos with a full orchestra. The work adapts some peasant poems that address mundane wedding rituals, and while the text was impossible to discern amid the clang and clatter of the Asian-influenced music, the voices and orchestra did evoke the sense of loss and excitement surrounding the event. Moreover, it brought to life the warm, jangling sound of Russian church bells, which if you haven't heard them, are an exciting and exotic relief from the long, pure peals of the Western variety. Susan Narucki, the soprano soloist, did a fine job; her clear and rather piercing voice punched through the orchestral sound well. It was very difficult to hear Kelley O'Connor (mezzo) and the male soloists, Gordon Gietz (tenor) and Kyle Ketelson (bass-baritone).

Debussy's musical impressions had the usual (at least for me) brief moments of sublimity, and Salonen's self-proclaimed piece for cybernetic organisms was unintelligible. For example, in the second movement, a violist stands for some virtuoso playing. The sea of computer inspired noise, however, made it impossible to hear her. I had been watching the percussionists, and all of a sudden, I realized that the violist was standing and playing enthusiastically. I thought, "Wow, how exciting! What's going on with that?" But, I never could figure it out.

Stravinsky developed his work from folk sources, and Salonen claims that his piece is a folk work for a post-biological future (to which I have to say: there won't be any music then--so isn't this a sort of pseudo-contextualization of a non-event?). Folk? Well, it's not my bag, so my lukewarm response should not deter you if you really feel up to the challenge.

For another review of this performance, check out Out West Arts' more sympathetic take on Salonen.