[Alvin
Singleton]
April 26, 2012
Alvin
Singleton’s newest orchestral creation, Different
River,
receives a warm welcome by Robert Spano and the Atlanta Symphony
Orchestra in its debut performances this month, opening an evening of
music that also features George Gershwin and Aaron Copland and
serving as contemporary compliment to their iconic American
masterworks on the program. A 25-minute single-movement work
contemplating the ebbs, flows and changes we all encounter on the
journey of life, Different
River
sees three performances with Spano and the ASO on May 10, 11 and 12.
Carman Moore writes on Singleton’s new work:
“Are we in this river or observing it? Strange objects float by. Intensely themselves, they may be the mystical-though-annunciatory percussion utterance that opens Different River. Or the galloping 16th notes from mallet instruments that follow, or the contrasting long, long tones of strings and woodwinds, or a brass fanfare, the sweet mumblings of solo harp, and then a stretch of silence. Unlike in many of his works, Singleton here seems not to favor any of these as the “theme” that wins out in the end. Each element that enters and passes is bright, clear, and strong. There are moments when elements gather, crash together, and suggest 'climax.' But the true theme of Different River is the listener’s experiencing the rolling by of disparate musical passages. River-like, each impresses or intrigues us, and like the river of life, all pass on.
Following
Singleton’s new work, listeners will enjoy performances of
Gershwin’s Rhapsody
in Blue
and Copland’s Symphony No. 3. The composer joins ASO Insider and
Program Annotator Ken Meltzer in a pre-concert discussion on
Thursday, May 10.
More on the life and
music of Alvin Singleton can be found at www.alvinsingleton.com
and www.schott-music.com.
Precise concert
details are located at www.atlantasymphony.org.
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