The experience of going to college is made up of more than attending classes, making deadlines and meeting friends for coffee. A college is a community, a society of sorts, though oftentimes only raggedly so, and like all societies it has its own culture. Sometimes I forget this.
Yet, somewhere on this campus (perhaps even as I write this), there are hidden pockets of serious artists working together, creating beautiful things right under our noses. Every now and then I stumble across one of these beautiful things and am reminded just how rich our college culture can be. The experience is always an eye-opener and, in the case of the UMass Boston Music Department’s Live At The Millennium, a delight.
A sort of sampler of musical sweetbits, this collection of live recordings spans across choral, jazz, and orchestral genres to showcase the talent of the students and faculty of the music department. The depth and breadth of that talent comes across as quite impressive, even in the less than an hour of music collected here.
I, for one, must say my face is red. I didn’t even know we had a Chamber Orchestra – never mind one capable of pulling off the complex undulations of Jiri Antonin Benda’s “Piano Concerto in G minor,” and of pulling it off with such pizzazz. I only wish I knew who these people were; the liner notes, unfortunately, do not list the performers’ names.
The CD begins with four performances by the University Chorus. The sound quality here is the best on the album; surprisingly good for a live performance, it is clear and well-balanced, allowing the voices to shine and shimmer. And shine and shimmer they do, each voice sounding strong and sure, yet all creating, from high to low, a unified, richly textured harmony that is like foie gras for the ear. These four tasty choral appetizers whet the appetite for more.
Next up is the Jazz Ensemble. Unfortunately, the ensemble does not fare as well as the chorus in terms of sound production (one of the problems with recording live performance); the sound is muddled and distant. Which is a shame, because there is a lot of great music being made here. A fairly academic rendition of Miles Davis’ “So What” is spiced up with inventive solos by horn, guitar and piano (and, for some reason, a person reciting poetry which adds a jarring bit of kitschiness to a song that should be, to my mind, the aural essence of cool). The bass sounds a bit murky and awkward at times (though this more likely the result of the poor sound quality); the drumming is perhaps the most consistent pleasure – subtle, tasteful and always on track throughout the recordings. While the playing of the soloists is commendable, the first two tracks seem more like individual exercises in form rather than fluid conversations.
The third track, a simmering rendition of “East of the Sun,” corrects this fault and adds to the mixture a stunning vocal performance, full of emotion and intriguing modulations. The interaction of the voice with the trumpet behind it is masterful, a true jazz dialogue. This song is the real keeper of the Jazz section of the album: soulful, warm, lovely.
The Chamber Singers perform four superb pieces, showing the scope of their fine abilities. More subtle in expression, and more flexible in range, than the larger chorus, the singers create delicate lines of sound that can be smooth and soft as silk, on the first track, to bright and sharp like trumpets on the second. The highpoint here is their rendition of Brahms’ “O Susse Mai”; although affected by less than desirable recording (distracting background noises can be heard), the haunting surge of music flowing from these voices is powerful, shiver-inducing stuff.
The climax of the album, however, comes at the end. Kudos to the Chamber Orchestra. Beyond their imposing technical proficiency, the orchestra can boast a style of playing that is gutsy and emotional. These people really go at it. The Chamber Orchestra bursts into life and song, making up for minor faults (the strings are a tad scratchy here and there) with sheer lustiness. Their rendition of Mozart’s “Symphony #29 in A Major” is a colorful, fluid performance that doesn’t let up, sliding through the sections with the slippery zeal of a delirious fish. Through the performances (there are three included here) the musicians seem to be yearning, reaching, driving the listener on to emotional climaxes. The playing is fresh, elastic, and though more than competent, free of academic study.
On Benda’s “Piano Concerto in G minor,” Linnea Bardason turns in a virtuostic performance on the piano. The playing is light and strong, wringing emotional and aesthetic value from the phrases. The artistry of the performance is even more admirable considering the complexity of the piece-the performer rides the piano like a well-seasoned jockey on a winning horse; as if it were an extension of herself.
The Chamber Orchestra, more than any of the other wonderful performers on this album, expresses what is most essential in music-vitality. They’ve got it in boatloads. Of course, the rest of the music department aren’t any slackers either. This album shows a side of the UMass community that is talented, committed, and above all, vital. I’m glad I got hip to it. Bravo, ladies and gentlemen, bravo.