MSO stokes nostalgia with ‘Classic FM’ concert
Pops program has fans singing along
The MSO Pops turned on the radio Friday evening with a “Classic FM” program of pop/rock tunes from the 1960s and ’70s.
While there was no actual radio involved, guest conductor Joel Levine gave a brief explanation of the intertwined histories of pop/ rock and FM radio as he led the orchestra and vocalists Jim Hogan, Ron Remke, Josh Turner, N’Kenge and Melissa Schott through a program that had the audience mouthing lyrics all evening.
Both halves of the concert opened with instrumental medleys: “Prelude to the Decade” and “Prelude to Another Decade.” The first-act prelude started with “California Girls,” moving through a turbulent decade to close with “Aquarius.” The second-act prelude included “Alone Again (Naturally),” “Copacabana (At the Copa)” the theme song from “Shaft,” and “Smoke on the Water.”
The preludes pretty much set the tone for the evening’s blast-from-the-past musical grab bag.
The concert’s playlist included a Frankie Valli medley, tunes by Paul Simon from both his solo and Simon and Garfunkel years, a couple of Elton John tunes, an ABBA medley, a Chicago medley, and a nod to Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr.
A Beatles medley opened with “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” from the suits-andbowl-hair-cuts days, and moved on to “Eleanor Rigby,” “Let it Be,” “Yesterday,” “She Loves You” and “Hey Jude,” before ending with “The End,” which was the last song the Beatles recorded together.
“Sweet Caroline” found the audience singing gleefully along with the music, as though they were hearing the song on the car radio.
Other tunes took a more introspective turn, including a beautifully played, instrumental arrangement of John Lennon’s “Imagine” and a rendition of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” which served as a great reminder of the recent hit’s long history.
Some of the music on the program worked quite well in orchestral or orchestral/ vocal arrangements, while some leaned toward schmaltz. But it created an evening of nostalgia and fun, prompting a standing ovation that was answered with a loud, participation-welcome rendition of the Village People’s late ’70s hit “Y.M.C.A.”