We entered the lobby awaiting a family member with the
tickets. Music began in the lobby; swelling tones and close harmonies.
Invisible source. Turned out to be massive speakers tuned to the acoustics of
the building: its lobby, stairwells, grand staircase, plate glass window wall,
carpets and milling crowds. Tones of timbre, hue, shape, and movement;
grumbling low notes paired with moving alto flute notes; moving, always moving.
Transfixing sound. Sensory, sensuous. Part of the environment but more…
Then a small choral ensemble piqued our interest; madrigal
like. And the doors opened and we took our seats. Building structure as musical
instrument. Prologue to concert. The excitement built.
What followed was 90 minutes of diverse performances and
musical forms. Women’s chorale, large mixed voice chorus, madrigal chamber singers,
string ensembles, flute choir, piano solos, computer synthesizer, violin solos,
percussion solo, folk ensemble. Renaissance, classical, baroque, romantic,
American jazz, contemporary, modern, moog-modern…you name it and the eras were
presented. Tonal qualities pitch perfect, close harmonies, dynamics came in
whispers to thundering.
Images changing throughout the performance: ensembles moved
in and out of lighted spaces; sometimes unseen but definitely heard. The
building as instrument; angled walls, soaring heights; hidden sound chambers
off stage; multi leveled sites, around in front, along the sides and to the rear
of the hall. Modern architecture but well tuned to its purpose of sound…sensory
sound. Enveloping sound. So much sensory information to receive…and process…and
think about…sometimes faster than the mind could take it…but always a forward
motion of sound sensation.
Scintillating intellectual challenge. From familiar to experimental.
All good. All making cogent statement.
The arts are alive in the Midwest
and the young. Thank God! Think about it.
February 26, 2011
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