Posted by Richard on June 09, 2000 at 14:51:23:
In Reply to: Gene Pokorny Premieres Tuba Concerto posted by Steve Marcus on June 09, 2000 at 06:34:27:
I'm convinced now that all newspaper critics are smug little wise asses no matter how well-intentioned or positive they try to be. Just read the Sun-Times, and the Trib. They just can't help it. Nevertheless, Gene's premiere of Journeys by John Stevens has to be counted a critical as well as a public success by all concerned. Before the performance started, Gene had a slight mishap with his chair falling over the short riser it was on. Did that faze Gene? He took it all in stride, had a sip of water, and signalled the conductor to begin. From then on it was clear tracks. No trainwrecks in Journeys. We know what a phenominal player Gene is. Now John has given him his own personalized vehicle, shall we say, engine, from which to display his wares. For those who find the VW too overexposed and hackneyed, and who find the JW too derivitive and busy, Journeys provides a needed alternative. Written in a basically accessable and familiar idiom, it is possessed by an originality all its own. The solo part will challenge the best players, but there's no resort to padding or mindless noodling. Every note - every lick counts.
The tuba parts in the Bernstein and Copland works were played by a recent graduate of IU, currently in Civic, who introduced himself as Jerome. Just Jerome. I resisted the temptation to ask him if that was anything like being just Madonna. He did a terrific job. West Side Story doesn't look like much on paper, but it's got that deadly muted figure. He made it sound easy, just as he did the long stretches of continuous playing in the first and second movements of Copland's 3rd.
And one has to say that CSO Resident Conductor William Eddins took on an extremely difficult killer program with complete confidence and maestro-like authority, and the CSO sounde its usual GREAT self.
You shoulda been there!!