| Annette DiMedio and Seth Montfort |  |
Pacifica Tribune 7
Pacifica Tribune Review of The San Francisco Concerto Orchestra's Competition for Musicians of All Ages January 15, 2006 at Sanchez Concert Hall, Pacifica
Classical carnival, tickling poetry and blockbuster piano played Sunday at the Sanchez
By Jean Bartlett
Arts Correspondent
When Charles Camille Saint-Saëns wrote the 14 movements of “Le Carnaval des animaux” in 1886 for two pianos and orchestra, he supposedly wrote it for private entertainment and banned its public performance during his lifetime; well except for maybe one performance. This notably serious and highly acclaimed composer was also known in some circles as the guy who could put on a dress and impersonate the bleep out of the female lead in “Faust.”
Something smacks of a sense of humor here and undoubtedly Saint-Saëns would have enjoyed the poetry ticklers written by American wit Ogden Nash, some thirty three years after the composer’s death, and in celebration of each movement. “Carnival of the Animals” was performed Sunday at the Sanchez. Conducted by the always impeccably dressed Roberto Gonzalez, the music was played by Seth Montfort’s San Francisco Concerto Orchestra, pianist Seth Montfort and pianist Annette DiMedio. Ogden Nash was represented by readers: Emmanuel Williams, Sydney Clark, Yvonne Lorvan; Ian Mackenzie, Pamela Mackenzie and Kristine Krenzel. Tonight’s orchestra members were: David Cann on viola; Steve Bergman on clarinet; Marian Concus on flute; Emmanuel Vacakis on cello; Masha on first violin; Leonard Chang on 2nd violin; Richard Gibson on percussion (xylophone); and Robert Woodcock on double bass.
It need be noted here that readers read with aplomb, fine diction and no giggling; even when encountering such wide-eyed rhymes as preposterous and rhinosterous, or simian and womian.
The “Introduction” began fast and furious; a carnival animal salute. “Royal March of the Lion” roared with bass notes and rumbling piano runs. “Hens and Roosters” clucked and crowed and clamored its orchestrated beaks. “Wild Asses” scurried with fingering hooves across two pianos. “Tortoises” lumbered a magnificently slow version of “Cancan.” Bowed bass viol and piano stretch nozzle gave us “The Elephant.” “Kangaroos” was all Acme cartoon high hopping pianos. The “Aquarium” was a beautiful piece of music what with its mystical bells, wispy violins and potion piano. It was also strangely reminiscent of a “Harry Potter” film score.
“Personages with Long Ears” scored for violins, could easily be the hee-haws of Eeyore and friends. “The Cuckoo in the Forest” brought forth flourishing piano and clarinet “kazoo.” Fluttering strings and gliding piano runs celebrated the warbling call of the flute in “The Aviary.” With a one, two, three and four, dueling pianists battle cried the scales while the orchestra chimed in with occasional swoops “Pianists.” The xylophonist played bones, the pianos twinkled the birth of stars and the orchestra whistled the 4th of July “Fossils.” “The Swan” was the beautiful discovery of cello on piano streams. The “Finale” marched all movements and their stars into the center ring in a merry melody of cool. An explosion of audience applause and a standing ovation closed out the set.
Set two was all Montfort and DiMedio threatening to level the playing field with their combined combustive sparks of whirlwind virtuosity. First they took us back to the old days when two people played the piano together so they could nearly touch hands or something. The first piece played was “Mysteries of the Heart” by Villena. It was introduced in a reading by Mrs. Cartwright of “How Do I Love Thee” (Elizabeth Barrett Browning). Then nimble fingers played dramatic Joplinesque type music. Spooling a mutual sentimental interpretation that wooed old lovers from the frame of a daguerreotype, Montfort and DiMedio’s hands crossed souls and time in piano memories of love.
Next Bach and Brazilian folk music lingered and linked as the pianists four hands chattered and prayed Villa-Lobos. A solo by Montfort arrived next but first a reading “The Day of Wrath” by Bill Hollabaugh. This entered us into the world of plague in Paris , and the composition Franz Liszt wrote to keep the plague out entitled “Totentanz.” This symphonic poem and Gregorian chant keys the colors of life to dust and back to life again. It is chilling in its glorious madness and dangerously hopeful in its angels calm. Montfort opened the bowels of the piano to all the staccato articulations it could sustain without crumpling, and he was brilliant and masterful.
Jimmy Harrington read the poem “Chaos” and Annette DiMedio followed this with the last movement of the Ginastera Sonata. The piece, a short high-speed explosion of furious drama, placed DiMedio at the keyboard reins in a magnificent display of pure siren finesse.
Mrs. Cartwright read the lyrics of “Autumn Leaves” and DiMedio on piano, breathed each note in seamless fluttering joy. The program ended with Gottschalk's four-hand arrangement of Rossini's “William Tell Overture” with Montfort and DiMedio rolling out the red carpet in a blockbuster crackle of outstanding professionalism.
Show’s rating? Hi-Ho Silver and Yee haw!
| Annette DiMedio and Seth Montfort | |
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The Pacifica Performances Readers |