[James Lee III]
James Lee III has another premiere coming up next week, this time in a performance by the New World Symphony, under Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor. We present an excerpt from a thoughtful and informative article by Caitlin McKechney in the South Florida Classical Review:
South Florida Classical Review
Thu Oct. 6
By Caitlin McKechney
"James Lee III's "Sukkot: Through Orion's Nebula" will be heard on the New World Symphony's opening program Oct. 15 and 16.
Diversity may not have been planned as the official theme of the New World Symphony’s 24th season opener, but it is certainly the palpable result. When Michael Tilson Thomas gives the downbeat Oct. 15 for the orchestra’s season-opening concert, the program will be framed by music of two Czech composers, feature a Spanish pianist playing a cornerstone German concerto, and offer the world premiere of a new work by a young African-American composer on a Jewish religious theme.
“'Our opening program presents a musical picture of Miami cultures,' says Tilson Thomas. 'Czech folklore, German Romanticism, an African American visionary, a Spanish pianist and our orchestra composed of musicians from around the world. We hope the audience will have a personal, enriching and inspiring experience.'
"James Lee III’s Sukkot: Through Orion’s Nebula will receive its debut performance at next weekend’s concerts in Miami Beach. This new work by the composer follows the performance last year of Lee’s Chuphshah! Harriet’s Drive to Canaan by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, which the Washington Post described as 'generat[ing] some potent atmosphere, with a hint of dissonance to flavor an otherwise warmly tonal writing style.'
"The 35-year-old composer describes his music as 'basically a tonal musical style that is not based on functional harmony,' preferring a more overtly approachable idiom that speaks directly to audiences. The inspiration for Sukkot, says Lee, came from two elements: the practical request for a work of ten minutes’ duration and his intense interest in the Book of Revelation.
“'I like to compose a lot of works on the biblical book of Revelation,' said Lee. 'I planned to incorporate various aspects of those books throughout my work. In particular there are certain feast days that are mentioned in the Old Testament in relationship to the sanctuary and those are also seen on a larger scale through the Book of Revelation,' he adds. 'So this particular work fits in to one of those feast days.'”
Comment by email:
Hello Bill, Thanks for doing this. You also helped alert me to the Miami Classical Review. I was interviewed by Caitlin last week, but I thought that the article would appear in the Miami Herald. Thanks again, James
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