The Knights Are Back (6/25/13)

And so are the Naumburg Orchestral Concerts in Central Park—for the 108th year! These free concerts are one of the best treasures of New York, in my opinion. I have heard The Knights (a fine, young chamber orchestra) in at least one Naumburg concert last year, and they’re scheduled for one more this summer, as well.

Here’s a rundown of the program. Sinfonia, No. 6, ‘La Casa del Diavolo’ for orchestra in
D minor, Op 12, No. 4 (1771), Andante sostenuto – Allegro assai, Andantino con moto, Andante sostenuto – Allegro con molto, Luigi Boccherini (1743–1805); Suite from Orphée (World Premiere), Philip Glass (1937–); Selections from Tierkreis (1974–75), Karlheinz Stockhausen (1928–2007); and Symphony No. 41, ‘Jupiter’, in C major, K.551 (1788), Allegro vivace, Andante cantabile, Menuetto: Allegretto – Trio, Molto Allegro, W. A. Mozart
(1756–91).

The Boccherini was played without a conductor and is a nicely compact work, though the third movement was a little longer than the rest. The calm opening gave way to a rather jaunty Allegro, while the second movement had a constant, gentle rhythm. The third opened quietly and then we got the House of the Devil—rapid string writing reminiscent of Telemann or Vivaldi that was fast and furious. A great concert opener.

The music of Philip Glass always stymies me. I understand the concept behind the repeated, repeated, phrases and phrases and rhythms and rhythms. I just don’t “get” them. I know that I’ve been on a journey from here to there but I don’t know how or why. Usually the phrases and rhythms are so disjointed and foreign to my ear that they turn me off. At least the tunes and phrases and rhythms of Orphée were pleasing to listen to. This was a suite of music culled from Mr. Glass’s opera of the same name. The orchestra, conductorless again, played very well.

After intermission, we heard music by Karlheinz Stockhausen—a name known to me, but I’m not sure I’ve heard any of his works, and certainly not in live performance. Tierkreis is German for zodiac, and the original work was twelve short tunes written for music boxes, one for each sign of the zodiac. I don't know whether it was a timing issue, but we only got one selection—Leo. Apparently Mr. Stockhausen was fine with all sorts of adaptations of these tunes and this one was for a chamber ensemble. I think I counted seven players: violin, bass, clarinet, French horn, bassoon, trumpet, and percussion. Sorry if I left anyone out. This particular arrangement, and a fine one it was, was by Caroline Shaw.

The Mozart symphony was played with characteristic grace, lightness, and when necessary, power. Oddly, this piece had Eric Jacobsen at the helm as conductor. After the Boccherini and Glass sans conductor, I was rather surprised that a piece as familiar as this one would use a conductor. I guess that’s what makes the concert world go ’round.

Special thanks, once again, to WQXR (105.9 FM) for providing a knowledgeable and interesting host in Jeff Spurgeon, and for broadcasting the concert live on WQXR. As for the Naumburg Orchestral Concerts, there are three more this summer—and luckily for me, there is a work on each of the next two concerts that I’m especially looking forward to. Let’s hope Mother Nature provides perfect settings as she did this past Tuesday.

ConcertMeister