Make Music New York (6/21/24)

This event happens twice a year—summer solstice and winter solstice. Due to this year's excessive heat and the fact that I needed to conserve energy (the elevator in my building is not functioning, and I'm on the sixth floor), I set a modified schedule for myself. And I agreed with myself that I could bail at any time. Fortunately, bailing was not needed.

First stop was Tilted Axes: Strawberry Solstice. What the what? This was street music in Richard Tucker Park (a small triangle near Lincoln Center—who knew?). Eight electric guitars, one keytar (I'm not making this up, you know), three electric bass, and two percussionists. Not my normal fare, but it worked. They processed around the park, had some minimal choreography, similar to marching band stuff, but on the slow side, and performed for a relatively enthusiastic crowd. I was able to find shade and a chair, so I was a happy camper. At the end of their set pieces, they set off to Strawberry Fields in Central Park. I did not tag along.

I set off for my second of three planned stops, the ever-popular Sousapalooza. A spirited group of amateur musicians playing Sousa marches. Here's the back story. Players register for the event and are sent scores for the pieces on the program so that they can work on them at their own pace and at their own time. There are no Zoom rehearsals. There are no rehearsals. They just show up and play, though there is a conductor. I'd venture to say there were 50 musicians, though I'm notoriously bad at judging crowd counts. Here's what they played: El Capitan (which is from an operetta—news to me); The Fairest of the Fair (new to me); Hands Across the Sea; The High School Cadets (also new to me); In Memoriam (composed for John Garfield's funeral—I knew about this one and had heard it before); Liberty Bell; Manhattan Beach; Semper Fidelis; Sound Off; The Thunderer; Washington Post; and Stars and Stripes Forever. In a fun moment, between two of the marches, there was a fire engine blaring its horn for a minute or so. One of the musicians matched the pitch and then the entire ensemble retuned to the fire engine. A stroke of genius, encouraged by the conductor. Yeah, this was not a concert hall performance, but it was a real performance. Once again, I found a chair and was in the shade for ten of the twelve marches. This was at least my second Sousapalooza, and I'll be back for more.

I almost skipped the final stop, but I'm glad I didn't. This was Mass Cellos. Nine cellos. Again, amateurs signed up ahead of time, were sent the parts, chose what part they would study (all were four-part arrangements), and then assembled for the performance. Though it wasn't made perfectly clear, I think there might have been one rehearsal. But here's the thing—you never really know who's going to show up until they show up; in fact, one cellist showed up in the middle of the performance. As there was no printed program and no actual set list and no actual announcements, I had to glean as much info as I could as they discussed each selection. The first was something by Bach. The second was a Gavotte by Bach, appropriately dance-like with, appropriately, several themes. The third was an arrangement by one of the attending cellists. It was a little more lush than the Bach which preceded it. After the tenth cellist arrived, they played a pizzicato polka. Well, that was a crowd pleaser. They finished with a piece that was either a tango or a habanera. It will remain a mystery.

I'm already looking forward to December 21.

ConcertMeister