UD Orchestra in Puglisi Hall

Although I was slightly disappointed not to find Edgard Varese’s Ameriques on the program on October 20, hearing the Stravinsky arrangement of the Star Spangled Banner and his Scherzo a la Russe provided an equally eclectic salute to the United States and the fascination of European composers for the freedom and wildness they saw in this country in the first half of the Twentieth Century. The big band flavor with which Stravinsky had spiked his film music was a great vehicle for the large brass section of the college orchestra and Yael Hernandez did a fine job with the piano part.

Robert Brandt’s rendition of the first set of Aaron Copland’s Old American Songs showed his extremely strong baritone voice. He almost knocked me out of my chair with his ‘Hi-ro, the boatman’ but he lacked the playfulness of the fine solo passages by Tara Rozanski on the flute and the great trumpet and trombone entries in Simple Gifts. The viola section was superb in their entrances in I bought me a cat.

But in Dvorak’s late Nineteenth Century tribute to the country which had just begun to tolerate the wild sounds of Brahms and Beethoven, the UD Orchestra hit their stride. Their intensity and musicality showed the skilled leadership of Dr. Brian Stone. The second movement’s soulful melody was played beautifully by Bryan Walker (English horn) and the brief duet by first cellist Rachel MacLeod and concertmaster Eliza Krivo seemed magical to me. But as I worked my way through the mass of exiting musicians to congratulate them, I interrupted the conversation between English horn teacher Lloyd Shorter and soloist Bryan Walker. They patiently waited for me to utter my compliments and as I walked away, I heard Mr. Shorter say, …"and one more thing…"

Well, they are students after all.

See http://www.music.udel.edu