William Bolcom: Seventh Symphony ~~ Richard Strauss: Burleske for Piano & Orch. James Levine/ The Met Orchestra. Carnegie Hall. May 19th 2002
An
important new symphonic work, the Seventh Symphony of William Bolcom
opened the Met Orchestra’s final concert of the season at Carnegie Hall,
and a grand opening it was. The work was commissioned jointly by the Carnegie
Hall Corporation and the Metropolitan Opera. The piece is subtitled A Symphonic
Concerto. Aptly enough for a work commissioned by an opera company, the
movements were described as Acts, of which there were three, and an Interlude.
In addition the concertante element which Mr. Levine had requested of
the composer was much in evidence, with numerous solos for some of the outstanding
players in the orchestra. All in all, Mr. Bolcom’s Seventh Symphony
is a many-faceted piece, one that arouses interest on many different levels.
Truly symphonic in scope the music is generous in gesture and thoroughly orchestral in conception. The musical ideas pour forth in profusion, and the level of tension is maintained from the dramatic opening to the powerful conclusion.
The one reservation that I had about the symphony ………
[Subscribe and read on …….]