The Grey Album, DJ Dangermouse's famous reworking of Jay-Z's Black Album a cappella's, over strings and breaks built from the Beatles' White Album, heralded the emergence of a new mashup culture. Music built from other music, films compiled out of other films, and of course Google Maps combined with all sorts of other data (NYC Subways, Happy Hours and many many more)--they are all part of a revolutionary new form of interconnected expression facilitated by the Internet. Playing on this theme, The Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra, a venerable half-century old performance group, put on a show last night featuring four eclectic mainstream artists.
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Last night the Brooklyn Philharmonic opened their season at the Howard Gilman Opera House at BAM. The historic Opera House, which Jay-Z (who has himself performed with orchestral backing, though not at BAM) recently rocked, is one of the city's greatest venues:
The 1908 building was designed by Herts and Tallant—premier theater architects of the period. Its eclectic Beaux Arts style is also seen in other Herts and Tallant designs in New York, including the Lyceum Theatre and the New Amsterdam Theatre. Featuring polychrome terra-cotta and finished in light-colored brick, the building anchors the Brooklyn Academy of Music Historic District—designated a New York City Landmark in 1978. (NYC.com)
The Four Scored concert is the result of a concerted effort by the Philharmonic--led by charismatic 32-year old conductor Michael Christie--to attract a new, younger audience. Before the show, Paper Mag had this to say: It's totally a ploy to get all us uncultured young whippersnappers to go to the symphony… and it's totally working.
The crowd was an interesting amalgamation of people--each artist had a contingent of fans, along with the crowd who had turned out for the Philharmonic itself.
Nellie McKay was the first to take the stage, and without a doubt the most successful at integrating the orchestra into her set. On It's A Pose, a humorous feminist anti-male screed from her debut album Get Away From Me, she even had Christie do some call-and-response. McKay's entire set exploded with energy and she literally skipped off the stage. She clearly wanted to be here and she clearly enjoyed performing with the orchestra.
Laurie Anderson, an 'experimental performance artist,' followed McKay after a brief set change. After a glowing introduction from Christie, Anderson took to the stage and quickly sucked the life out of the room, asking the audience to Concentrate...Concentrate...Concentrate, against what easily could have been the score to a dark psychological thriller. After having the orchestra turn their instruments into metallic screech producing organs, Anderson performed the next two songs in her set backed only by her own band. As an audience member, you almost pitied Christie, who stood through these songs, watching silently; at least his orchestra sat back, partially out of view. Anderson, who is married to Lou Reed, is well-known and highly respected in certain circles, but it is clear why she has never won mainstream acceptance (though she seems like the type who would abhor such a proposition). Though she did not win the same level of applause as McKay, many in the audience seemed to enjoy Anderson's performance, but that's Brooklyn for you.
After intermission--and some much needed scotch--Suzanne Vega took to the stage, breathing some fresh air back into the room. Unbeknownst to the younger members of the audience, Vega released the 'Doo doo doo doo, doo da-doo doo' song, AKA Tom's Diner. The second song in Vega's set featured strings arranged by Philip Glass, which were performed live for the first time last night, which is fitting, as Glass was once one of the Philharmonic's Composers in Residence.
Joan Osborne, the one hit wonder, who asked What if God was one of us, just a stranger on the bus, closed out the concert. Osborne put on a good show, utilizing the orchestra, revealing a strong voice--though everyone was waiting (secretly or not) for her to sing the ten year old song for which she is known.
As a whole the concert succeeded, bringing together a diverse audience and an eclectic group of musicians, exposing everyone to something unique and outside of the familiar. Hopefully the Philharmonic will decide to make Four Scored an annual event.
Brooklyn Philharmonic Upcoming Concerts
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