Some Prokofiev

Over the year I've really grown fond of Prokofiev. "Kije" and "Nevsky", "Three Oranges", 2 string quartets and 5 wonderful piano concertos. I've put two of his ballets, "Romeo and Juliet" and "Cinderella", on one of my mp3 players and listen to them as I ski -- it's seems to help my rhythm sometimes. So it was a good week when I heard two of his works in two different concerts.

Ending the University of Colorado's "Music Faculty Tuesdays" was Margaret McDonald, the Assistant Professor of Collaborative Piano. I guess we used to call them accompanists, but now collaborative pianist is the preferred and more accurate term. Dr. McDonald appears quit frequently with other CU faculty, but this time she was the center of attraction. She performed the "Seven Popular Spanish Song" by de Falla with mezzo Julie Simpson; two Schumann pieces with Michael Thornton, horn and alternating with Dan Silver, clarinet and Judith Glyde, cello. The clarinet and cello took turns collaborating, an interesting idea. Christina Jennings got me going, though, in Prokofiev's "Sonata in D Major". McDonald commented before each work what instruments were paired with the piano. I've heard the Prokofiev with violin, so it was exciting to hear it with flute, which is normally not one of my favorite instruments.

Last night Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto was performed by Lindsay Deutsch with the Boulder Chamber Orchestra, Bahman Saless conducting. I must admit that I was a bit apprehensive about it because it's reputed to be a complicated piece for all involved. Deutsch and Saless pulled it off successfully. I'm tempted to go again tonight, but we have Japanese guests so I can't. Deutsch seemed to play effortlessly and with joy and the larger-than-normal orchestra responded.

The concert began with the premiere of Saless's own "Tango Variations for Violin and Orchestra". Saless apparently wrote the piece with Lindsay Deutsch in mind and it was a success. The audience responded very positively to this new, highly accessible set of variations on an old Nat King Cole theme "Nature Boy". Interestingly, my own reaction to the variations was that it would have been more interesting if it had a different theme. However, I did recognize the theme as it recurred and tangoed. My wife, on the other hand, said she didn't recognize the theme at all, but enjoyed how it all fit together anyway. Let's hope Saless gets his new composition performed again.