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Boston Herald, MA
June 13 2005
Pops shows its true colors
By Keith Powers
Monday, June 13, 2005 - Updated: 01:10 AM EST
The Boston Pops, America's quintessential musical patriots, began
celebrating Flag Day three days early on Saturday evening. Principal
guest conductor Bruce Hangen led the orchestra, a trimmed down
Tanglewood Festival Chorus, and several soloists in the refreshingly
cool confines of Symphony Hall on this sweltering summer night.
Full disclosure: Patriotic displays of almost any kind incite profound
ambivalence in this listener. A full-page ad opposite the program notes
for something called the "Association of Former Intelligence Officers"
(ever seen that before?) heightened my terror alert before a single
note was fired. The presence of Daniel Rodriguez, a New York City cop
whose singing career launched just after 9/11, had me at code orange.
Mercifully, "Love it or leave it" tendencies were tempered greatly by
mixing the Americana portion of the bill with the Pops' annual Armenian
night. Oud master John Bilezikjian treated the largely ethnic crowd
to a Vivaldi lute concerto, a delightful arrangement of Albeniz's
"Leyenda," and Khachaturian's familiar "Saber Dance."
The oud - lute-like with a larger bowl and shorter, straight neck
-has delicately soft textures, and so had to be amplified. Using an
amplified folk instrument over ambient classical instruments made
for tricky pitches and risky sonic textures in some spots. But
Bilezikjian's virtuosity and dynamic phrasing made a winning
combination.
A musical version of "Hayr Mer" ("The Lord's Prayer"), conducted
movingly by the Very Reverend Father Oshagan Minassian from his
wheelchair, brought the Armenian cultural section to a close.
(Armenians and many others in attendance stood with respectful
attention during "Hayr Mer"; curiously, many Neanderthals did not.)
Rodriguez, self-proclaimed in his bio as "America's Favorite Tenor," is
just that. A tenor. His sense of bravura and overwhelming volume could
not hide the evidence: He might consider going back to the old beat
in Flatbush. His career is certainly one of the lesser evils spawned
by the infamous attacks, but that seems small reason for it to blossom.
But as does happen from time to time, this listener was clearly a
minority of one, to judge from the raucous appreciation Rodriguez
received from the sold-out hall. Even the Neanderthals were standing
when Rodriguez came out for one last patriotic encore, an unsurprise
attack on "God Bless America."
June 13 2005
Pops shows its true colors
By Keith Powers
Monday, June 13, 2005 - Updated: 01:10 AM EST
The Boston Pops, America's quintessential musical patriots, began
celebrating Flag Day three days early on Saturday evening. Principal
guest conductor Bruce Hangen led the orchestra, a trimmed down
Tanglewood Festival Chorus, and several soloists in the refreshingly
cool confines of Symphony Hall on this sweltering summer night.
Full disclosure: Patriotic displays of almost any kind incite profound
ambivalence in this listener. A full-page ad opposite the program notes
for something called the "Association of Former Intelligence Officers"
(ever seen that before?) heightened my terror alert before a single
note was fired. The presence of Daniel Rodriguez, a New York City cop
whose singing career launched just after 9/11, had me at code orange.
Mercifully, "Love it or leave it" tendencies were tempered greatly by
mixing the Americana portion of the bill with the Pops' annual Armenian
night. Oud master John Bilezikjian treated the largely ethnic crowd
to a Vivaldi lute concerto, a delightful arrangement of Albeniz's
"Leyenda," and Khachaturian's familiar "Saber Dance."
The oud - lute-like with a larger bowl and shorter, straight neck
-has delicately soft textures, and so had to be amplified. Using an
amplified folk instrument over ambient classical instruments made
for tricky pitches and risky sonic textures in some spots. But
Bilezikjian's virtuosity and dynamic phrasing made a winning
combination.
A musical version of "Hayr Mer" ("The Lord's Prayer"), conducted
movingly by the Very Reverend Father Oshagan Minassian from his
wheelchair, brought the Armenian cultural section to a close.
(Armenians and many others in attendance stood with respectful
attention during "Hayr Mer"; curiously, many Neanderthals did not.)
Rodriguez, self-proclaimed in his bio as "America's Favorite Tenor," is
just that. A tenor. His sense of bravura and overwhelming volume could
not hide the evidence: He might consider going back to the old beat
in Flatbush. His career is certainly one of the lesser evils spawned
by the infamous attacks, but that seems small reason for it to blossom.
But as does happen from time to time, this listener was clearly a
minority of one, to judge from the raucous appreciation Rodriguez
received from the sold-out hall. Even the Neanderthals were standing
when Rodriguez came out for one last patriotic encore, an unsurprise
attack on "God Bless America."