This is the Tara Minton quintet, at the Chichester Jazz Club yesterday. It’s rare to see harp in a jazz context, and it was very good indeed. Brilliant playing from the band.
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Elder/CSO + Goosby
Performers
**Conductor**Mark Elder
Violine
Randal Goosby
Program
**Prokofiev**Symphony No. 7
Price
Violin Concerto No. 2
Wagner
Suite from Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
Interesting program. I am glad that Florence Price’s work has been played all over the world now. After decades of neglect her talent and work have been finally validated by time. She was known in Chicago for sometime due to her name was used for schools here but noone really knew who she was.
Her work was premieered in Chicago 100 years ago by Frederick Stock ( then CSO MD) but her career struggled for obvious reasons. Racism still runs deep in Chicago. Florence will be proud her violin concerto is finally premieered at the Orchestra Hall none other than black fiddle player. Now I was not expecting much out of Goosby. I have his CD with Yannick/Cleveland playing the same score. I was more impressed with Yannick’s orchestra handling than Goosby’s fiddling. Listening to him play up close was a different matter. He had a good grasp of the score and it was lovely. There was a few rough edges but I certainly enjoyed it very much.
It was back to back with familiar Die Mestersinger prelude. I can’t quite shake off its Nazi past ( Hitler’s fave tune ) and vintage reel of Furtwangler playin the same score with the Swastika backdrop. I thought it was on purpose for this coupling ? De ja vu moment? when Hitler witness Jesse Owens takes a gold medal. Political impression aside, Elder’s handling was too slow and messy. At time the front of the orchestra and back of orchestra were not playing together. This was not the most inspiring reading and it is NOT the band. CSO musicians are better than that. It was like an elephant trying to dance but falling down badly.
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