John Harbison's 70th Birthday Concert
A Celebration at Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Kresge Hall
Apr 29, 2009
At 70, John Harbison may have enough laurels to rest comfortably through retirement, but that thought doesn't seem to have occurred to him. The composer, conductor and Massachusetts Institute of Technology faculty member still secures commissions like the popular girl at prom: on April 24th, at the MIT celebration of his seven decades, Harbison premiered mostly new works.
From Viola Fugues to French Horn Suites: Music for the Neglected Instruments
Harbison's wry sense of humor and identification with the underdog pervaded the concert: he composed a quartet for the viola, of all things. And not only that, but he played it, too! A "filler" instrument that typically plays only second or third voice, the poor viola rarely gets a chance to shine with the melody. But Harbison's Cucaraccia and Fugue put that wallflower instrument front and center.
The French horn also received just recognition in a brand new work receiving its first performance that night. The French Horn Suite arranged four horns in opposing pairs, speaking antiphonally to each other in call and response. However, Harbison imagines that these particular speakers haven't cleaned out their ears. Like a game of telephone in which the message becomes weirdly transformed, these four French horns gradually mangle the theme until one participant embarks on his own rendition of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat."
Cranes, Midnight and St. Francis of Assisi: Music Inspired by Nature
A place far from the bustle of Boston inspired another work: southern Wisconsin and its majestic crane habitat. Crane Sightings introduced listeners to this enigmatic bird and featured the composer's wife--Rose Mary Harbison--on the violin.
A Clear Midnight was an intimate piece for voice and strings. Commissioned by the Georgina Joshi Foundation, the work commemorates the friendship between the singer Georgina Joshi, Chris Carducci, Garth Eppley, Zachary Novak and Robert Samuels. The text, by Walt Whitman, voices questions about the nature of existence, ending with the line "night, sleep, death and the stars."
Finally, continuing with the nature theme, the highlight of the evening was a work based on the life of St. Francis of Assisi, entitled Umbrian Landscapes. The first movement was a peaceful pastoral representing the countryside surrounding St. Francis' hometown. The second movement was a series of brief vignettes based on Giotto's frescoes, which depict scenes from the saint's life. A giant slide show behind the orchestra let the audience enjoy the frescoes without having to make the trek to Italy. The final movement set St. Francis' famous Hymn to All Created Things to music for chorus and orchestra.
Sources
Program Notes.
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