The big spring concert for the Tehachapi Community Orchestra was yesterday. It has been some time since I've attended one of their concerts, but was looking forward to this one, not only because they were to have a guest performer, Christopher Parkening, a classical guitarist of some note, but one of their selections was written by Elmer Bernstein whose movie scores I find particularly enjoyable. As things turned out, the orchestra had a healthy dose of support; as "curtain" approached (except that there wasn't a curtain), the ushers had to start turning people away. There wasn't a seat to be had in the main hall. Luckily there was still a side hall. The sound here was creditably good, though the view (above, for your edification) might be said to be a bit restricted. The orchestra began with a piece by Chadwick (though I rattle the name off debonairely, I had never heard of him before yesterday, and even now I am getting all of my information off the program), then Mr. Parkening came out and played Bernstein's "Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra". To sneak furtively into the desk of a critic, it was a very exciting piece. Though it wasn't notable for its themes (it always seemed to be going somewhere, but never quite got there), it was pleasant listening, nicely executed by all concerned; I don't think I would have minded had it gone on twice as long. I had never noticed the interesting use Bernstein makes of percussion, a rattle of snare here, a single clack of wooden blocks there--to say nothing of the gong! (I am told) the three percussionists were dashing madly about to supply all the required musical punctuation on the required beat.When the Bernstein piece was ended, the orchestra took a well-earned rest, and Mr. Parkening played a solo, unexpectedly, "My Country Tis of Thee", with all the art and ornamentation appropriate to the guitar. He followed this with something (though the music was audible the announcements were not, and his solos were not in the program) either Turkish or composed by somebody traveling through Turkey. . .anyway, it was insane, breathtaking, and delightful. I wish I knew the correct terminology for the droning that is so effective on a guitar, anyway, in practice, the player hits one of the low strings over and over again while he somehow manages to play a tune on the higher strings. This was a whirlwind of a tune, and Mr. Parkening never missed a note of the drones while still managing to hit every one of the capricious sharps and flats Middle Eastern music demands. It was over entirely too soon.
The second half of the concert was Edward MacDowell's "Suite No. 1 in D Minor" (yes, I'm looking at the program again). It was a definite disadvantage to be unable to see the performers as the piece demanded such an interplay between the sections, sometimes anchoring on the brass, other times weaving the strings and woodwinds inextricably together. Again, we couldn't hear the announcements, and , at the close of the suite, all of us in the side hall assumed that that was the end, since nothing was left on the program. Everyone had just enough time to begin sidling for an exit when the orchestra pulled a rabbit out of their hat in the form of the theme from "The Magnificent Seven". A bit of an electric shock ran through the entire building at that; to say it is a stirring piece is The Magnificent Understatement. My sister said later that she's been thinking for years that that was the piece the orchestra needed to play. . .I'm glad she appreciated it, though I had at least one advantage over her in the matter. Various responsibilities had kept her home from the concert--at least I heard it!
