Pittsburgh Ballet and PSO stage a stunning ‘Bolero’
Let’s blow the dust off of the history books for a moment — one of the larger splits in classical music was over whether music should be representational or abstract. Composers bickered in the 19th century over whether music should tell some sort of story (this would be “program music”) or whether it should remain purely non-pictorial (this would be “absolute music”).
There are merits to both camps, of course, although it’s worth noting that music was still largely melodic at this point in history.
Today, however, when listeners encounter a new piece at the symphony, as they did Friday at the Pittsburgh Symphony’s performance in Heinz Hall, the language of the music is often difficult to comprehend now that traditional tonality and forms are still considered passe. Modern orchestral music is often impenetrable.
A little explanation, therefore, can go a long way. That’s a longwinded windup to say: the world premiere at the symphony by American composer Stacy Garrop was a musical depiction of the steel-making process, and it was thoroughly enjoyable.
The piece began chaotically, all formless heat and energy in the brass and strings and winds. Before long, though, the energy began to cool and take shape — melodic ideas emerged, industrial and percussive at times. Throughout, textual explanations appeared on screens to keep listeners apprised of what the music was representing. Far from feeling simplistic, this granted a more engaging window into the music’s function and form.
The orchestra’s music director, Manfred Honeck, conducted the
program over the weekend, which also featured Gershwin’s Piano Concerto (alas, not “Rhapsody in Blue”), music from Strauss opera “Salome” and Ravel’s curious “Bolero,” in which members of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre joined the orchestra onstage in perhaps the most spectacular collaboration of the season.
First, Garrop’s music was clear and engaging, even cinematic. There was no trace of academic dickering or needless complexity, and the orchestra thrilled in the work’s tectonic expansions and contractions. I’m skeptical that it would have had the same impact without the explanatory text.
(This was Garrop’s first PSO commission. Here’s hoping she returns.)
Next, the Gershwin — superstar Russian-born pianist Igor Levit is an inspired artist, and his performance was dazzling. That said, the Gershwin concerto is quite fun in its rhythmic pep at times, what with its jazz influences and Gershwin’s talent for tunes. I found Levit’s playing overly serious and tense in the first movement, captivating but lacking in levity. (The orchestra was delightfully whimsical, though brass chords sustained too loudly at times.) He seemed to loosen up as the piece went on and raced through the finale with fire.
The Strauss is the latest in a series of suites by Honeck and his collaborator Tomas Ille bringing music from famous operas to the symphonic hall sans voices. The music was 25 minutes of lush Strauss but felt more like a collection of fragments than a unified piece of music.
The most famous music from this opera is the “Dance of the Seven Veils” — personally, I find it a more compelling excerpt, especially for those unfamiliar with the opera.
Finally, “Bolero.” The ballet has premiered the choreography before with recorded music, but it was always intended to be a collaboration with the symphony, long delayed by the pandemic.
It was worth the wait. “Bolero” is already a curious work. It’s a single melody that repeats as a solo in numerous instruments, slowly growing in volume and passion, developmentally linear. It’s not a story so much as a straight line.
The dancers matched this energy, whirling sinuously in a beautifully controlled expression of joy. As the music increased in power, the dancers’ movements grew wilder and more complex, blooming imaginatively until a final, pounding cadence brought the evening to a spirited close.