Classics, jazz, Americana is sold-out MSO Pops
By Jackie Wattenberg / About The Arts
Thursday, May 6, 2004
To say the Melrose Symphony Orchestra's Spring Pop concert was a smashing success is almost redundant. What else could it be?
Tables and the traditional seats were all occupied, and patrons found parking all the way to Shaw's lot full on that balmy night last Saturday. Melrose has been captured by Yoichi Udagawa - and his profound improvement of the orchestra's quality, his broad range of music chosen, colorful soloists and his irrepressible personality.
He seems determined to bring us an array of musical styles - classical dominating of course, but show tunes, patriotic tunes for clapping, gospel choirs and last Saturday in Memorial Hall, that great American form, jazz. If there were a few resistant to some great jazzy moments, there was also a cheering section that welcomed the terrific numbers by the Lello Molinari Jazz Trio, backed up by the full orchestra in Molinari's arrangements. The orchestra's string bass principal, Molinari has toured in Europe and the Far East with his jazz combo, here starring a fabulous trumpeter, Greg Hopkins, a real pro totally at ease in syncopated scales of silken elegance or outbursts of staccato crescendos - dynamic.
Molinari, a teacher at Berklee College of Music, was busy at his bass, with agile pianist Frank Carlberg releasing sparks of contrast and connection, and Marcello Pelletteri hopping restlessly among his varied drums. Vocalist Christine Carrea sang several oldies and goodies in her inimitable style - Hogey Carmichael's memorable, "Stardust," in a voice distinctive in quality, husky in the middle, chime-clear at her top and dipping down to an almost-baritone strength.
Both she and the combo rushed through several other tunes in original and intriguing style, including a really jazzed-up, speeded-up version of Gershwin's great, "The Man I Love," that was both engaging and startling because of the shifts from Gershwin's original tempo and rhythm. I couldn't help feeling that the singer could have delivered the depth of its romantic mood very effectively in the original, slower tempo.
The orchestra was in outstanding form, attacking with precision and responding to Maestro Udagawa's shrewd directives in a pleasing variety of light pieces - the wild and driven "Saber Dance" by Khachaturian was fast and forceful; a Dvorak Slavonic Dance and Offenbach's Overture to "Orpheus in the Underworld" bright and lively, and American Leroy Anderson's "Blue Tango" was a jazzy little prelude to the jazz interlude that would be coming up after the first intermission.
As traditional now, the program concluded with American music, beginning with the marvelous melodies of one of our greatest musicals, "Fiddler on the Roof." The spirited "American Emblems Sing Along" by local composer-arranger Martin Schreiner closed the program, anticipating perhaps our Fourth of July (when our musical life will alas, be totally lacking), inviting the audience to follow the words of our patriotic songs as well as "When Johnny Comes Marching Home," the original words of which graphically define the soldier's fate, and reminded of our nation's newest war.
Symphony President Millie Rich announced that incredibly, tables at both Christmas Pop concerts next season are already sold out. Traditional seats are available. If you're disappointed, blame Yoichi - he's made music too popular - and make arrangements for Christmas 2005.
Jackie Wattenberg is a Melrose resident and covers the arts for the Free Press.
