Wall to Wall Gertrude’s Paris

“What is Wall to Wall?” you might ask.

It’s a really cool series put on at Symphony Space (95th and Broadway), where there are themed “happenings” that run from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. This one dealt with Gertrude Stein’s Paris. Apparently there was a month-long+ Gertrude Stein Festival at Symphony Space (April 1–May 5, 2012) culminating in Wall to Wall. (Maybe ConcertMeister needs a social secretary?) This was my second Wall to Wall, though I can’t for the life of me remember what the first one was. Once again, Wall to Wall is free (in general), and you can enter, depart and re-enter throughout the day. I didn't spend the entire day there but I did see some of the early offerings and then, after my pique-nique déjeuner, part of the afternoon program. I had to get home for the Kentucky Derby and Cinco de Mayo!

So here’s what I saw and heard. Sonata for Flute, Viola, and Harp (1915) –
I. Pastorale, II. Interlude, III. Finale, Claude Debussy (1862–1918); a reading from The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas (1933), “My arrival in Paris/salons,” Gertrude Stein (1874–1946); strolling musicians; readings from Portraits and Other Short Works, “If I Told Him: A Completed Portrait of Picasso,” “Matisse,” “Cezanne,” Stein; “From their correspondence,” Igor Stravinsky (1882–1971) and Manuel de Falla (1876–1946); Suite No. 1 (1925) and No. 2 (1921) for Chamber Orchestra, Stravinsky (arranged by Jonathan Jensen for oboe, bassoon and piano); a reading from Tender Buttons (1914), “A long dress,” A red hat,” “A blue coat,” and “A purse”; Trio for Oboe, Bassoon, and Piano (1926) – I. Presto, II. Andante, III. Rondo, Francis Poulenc (1899–1963); a conversation with Edmund White; and La Création du Monde (1923), Darius Milhaud (1892–1974).

After lunch I heard an evocation of cabaret life via eight songs performed by baritone Robert Osborne, accompanied by Richard Gordon, piano. Highlights included “Fascination” (1904), “Masculine Women, Feminine Men” (1925), and “Dada” (1920). He even included an encore by Comden and Green that included the lyrics, “A rose is a rose is a rose”!

A reading of “Stein’s little Ford” followed, after which we heard Stein lyrics to American opera—“Capital Capitals,” Virgil Thomson (1896–1989) – no date given for the opera, and “Three Sisters Who Are Not Sisters,” Ned Rorem (b. 1923) – no date given for the opera. Mr. Rorem was there for a post-opera discussion. I listened to part of it, then high-tailed it home for the Derby/Cinco de Mayo.

All of the music I heard was presented beautifully, and I enjoyed every bit of it. The street musicians included a chanteuse/accordionist, clarinet, trombone, saxophone and guitar. They strolled through the audience as the stage was being reconfigured for the readings and the next onstage musical setup. The Milhaud orchestra was composed of a string quartet, saxophone, two flutes, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, two trumpets, trombone, piano and two percussionists, all under the direction of Ransom Wilson (the ensemble plays under the name Le Train Bleu)—check them out.

A bit of Paris in New York. A lot of fun. I can’t imagine what the evening was like!

ConcertMeister