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Austin360 blogs > Austin Arts: Seeing Things > Archives > 2009 > February > 23
Monday, February 23, 2009
Ellington’s ‘Sacred Concert’ a glorious collaboration
Not a seat was empty Sunday afternoon when Austin Chamber Music Center teamed up with Huston-Tillotson University’s Concert Choir for a joyous version Duke Ellington’s ‘Sacred Concert,’ presented free as the Chamber Music Center’s annual Black History Month concert.
People spilled into the hall of Huston-Tillotson’s King-Seabrook Chapel. And the stage brimmed full too with the Concert Choir, led by soprano Gloria Quinlan, along with a 15-piece big band led by Keith Winking.
Part choral song cycle, part big band concert, part collection of gospel song, Ellington’s ‘Sacred Concert’ is a brilliant musical mashup. The jazz maestro considered it the most important music he had ever written and spent the last decade of his life devoted to it. Actually, there were three versions of the ‘Sacred Concert’ the first presented in 1965, the last in 1973 one year before Ellington’s death.
But because of the sheer scale of the works, versions of the ‘Sacred Concert’ aren’t often performed. Austin Chamber Music Center artistic director Michelle Schumann has been dreaming of presenting Ellington’s sprawling masterpiece for years. She deserves many kudos for pulling together the considerable forces to make it happen — and offer the concert free to the Austin community.
Certainly, Austin loved it on Sunday. The applause started rippling about two songs into the hour-long program that featured nine selections. At times the chorus alternated the spotlight with the big band. Quinlan showed her clear sweet soprano on “Heaven” even if some micing problems left the volume drift. Winking’s whip-smart ensemble piqued during several impressive solos. Trumpeter Curtis Calderon gave sublime swaggering minor-chord swing that nevertheless still rang as a clarion call. (‘Sacred Concert’ was Ellington’s most direct expression of his faith.) Tenor saxophonist Russell Haight offered a nicely nuanced spin on the bluesy, soulful “TGTT (Too Good To Be Titled).”
But what brought the house down was a surprise add to program, phenom tap dancer Jason Janas of Tapestry Dance Company, who blasted out a brilliant tap solo to “David Danced Before the Lord.” Janas’s storm of sound — all loose legs and furious footwork — begat a spontaneous standing ovation.
Good things — glorious music — happen when people collaborate, Sunday’s concert proved. Now, how about an annual Ellington ‘Sacred Concert’ here?
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People’s Choices exhibit winners at Austin City Hall
The people have chosen.
“Buba at Barton Springs” a photograph by artist Roy Mata is the winner of 2008 People’s Choice Award from the annual People’s Gallery exhibit at Austin City Hall. The winner was announced Friday at the opening of the 2009 People’s Gallery exhibit.
‘Buba at Barton Springs,’ Roy Mata. 2003/
Each year, a purchase is made from the People’s Gallery annual exhibition of work by more than 100 Austin artists to build a permanent collection of art for City Hall. Each year, the public is invited to recommend art pieces for the purchase. Mata decided to forego any payment from the city for his artwork which was priced at $100.
And in an interesting development, Zach Booth Simpson interactive video piece “Elevator Goblins” was also elected for the People’s choice. But because of the high price tag of the complex artwork — said to be upwards of $20,000 — the city couldn’t afford to purchase it.
However given that the “Elevator Goblins” was so popular, Simpson offered to loan City Hall “Elevator Dragonflies,” another interactive projection piece that “lives” on the first floor elevator entrance. “Elevator Dragonflies” — which uses infared lights — will be buzzing elevator riders at City Hall for the remainder of 2009.
You can see a video Dragonflies here.

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Review: ‘Heroes’
Don’t go to “Heroes” looking for Tom Stoppard. Although the French play, originally by Gerald Sibleyras, was translated by the writer of “Rosencrantz And Guildenstern Are Dead,” it has almost none of his characteristic complications or often bitter wit. And it would be a mistake to miss them. Instead, in Austin Playhouse’s new production, we’re treated to wistful banter and a story about French veterans of World War I looking for a better life than their retirement home.
Within the first few moments of the play, we already know essentially what will happen: Michael Stuart as Henri will capitalize on his hangdog eyes and gentle nature; David Stahl’s Phillipe will drift between paranoia and epileptic flashbacks; and Don Toner’s Gustave will provide a brusque, curmudgeonly counterpoint. Those patterns and personalities play out as the three plan for a getaway—“a commando expedition”—to a hill some miles away where the wind blows through the poplars.
There are other events that happen off stage, but what action there is is constrained to a garden terrace and three old men arguing with each other. What keeps it from becoming “The Odd Trio” is a more measured, paced, and friendly tone to the group’s ribbing. Felix and Oscar have grown up, developed a sense of nostalgia, and found a friend
There is zaniness to be sure, ranging from a canine statue that takes on an imaginary life to physical comedy as the threesome preps for its trip, but it’s always balanced by more heart and pondering than Neil Simon or Stoppard usually managed. There’s a sentimentally that threw me off initially when I was expecting more bite than warmth, but under Lara Toner’s direction, the veterans don’t so much grow so much as grow on you.
Indeed, there isn’t much variation, and that’s the only real problem with the production. The trio’s comic timing is by and large on point, but, by the end, that means you can see more than a few of the laughs coming. It has the effect of building affection, but in the same way you grow to love a grandfather who tells the same jokes over and over again. It can be amusing, comforting, and a little wearying all at once.
Fortunately, the play itself is short and the three never really wear out their welcome, even through an ending that carries the one heavy handed note of symbolism in the play. Instead, we’re left, as after a pleasant visit, with fond memories and good laughs.
(“Heroes” continues Thursdays-Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 5 p.m. through March 15 at The Austin Playhouse, Larry L. King Stage, 3601 S. Congress, Bldg. C. $10-$20. 476-0084, austinplayhouse.com)
Joey Seiler is an American-Statesman freelance critic.
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Review: Philip Glass ‘Book of Longing
Philip Glass and his ensemble only had about two-thirds of an audience at the 3,000-seat Bass Concert Hall Saturday night. That’s a departure from years past when the famed composer has usually filled the house for many of his concerts here.
What gives? Is it the recessionary economy? Or is Austin over its infatuation with everything Glass does? Then again, perhaps there just wasn’t much interest in “Book of Longing,” Glass’s musical treatment of poems by Leonard Cohen from Cohen’s volume of the same name.
Though the piece was co-commissioned by the University of Texas’ Performing Arts Center, the ‘Book of Longing’ premiered in 2007 and has toured since then. Both the live show, and the CD, have garnered mixed reviews. (The UT showing of ‘Book of Longing’ was on hold while Bass underwent an 18-month renovation. Bass re-opened in January.)
Glass and Cohen are longtime friends, artistic equals and their work shares essential similarities: Glass builds with essential musical elements repetitive; Cohen also reduces language to its rudiments.
But none of it seemed to gel in Glass’s 22-song series Saturday night, and while likeable, “Book of Longing” seemed ultimately too disparate.
Behind the nine musicians (including Glass and his longtime collaborator, Michael Riesman, both on keyboards) on stage were large images of Cohen’s drawings arrayed on a backdrop with a central video screen showing a constantly changing stream of yet more drawings.
The four vocalists, Broadway regulars, had strong, distinctive voices, alternating solos with quartets and duets. But the bright show-style vocals didn’t mesh with Glass’s mostly minor-chord machinations nor with Cohen’s terse, often humorously absurd lyrics.
Cohen and Glass each had their own solos of a sort. Cohen’s voice was heard on recordings reading some of his shorter poems. And Glass delivered lovely idiomatic solos for several members of the ensemble which provided the true highlights of the evening’s performance.
Cellist Wendy Sutter cello rendered an hauntingly beautiful melody. Saxophonist Andrew Sterman had an appropriately jazz inflected turn. And violinist Gloria Justen evoked a classical concerto.
But inbetween the solos, Glass’s music was at its most formulaic and repetitious. In the end, the individual pieces — the Broadway voices, the broken arpeggios and rhythms of Glass’s distinctive style, the spoken words, the instrumental solos — never melded.
