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Defining ‘American’
America's Great Composers: Aaron Copland: Repeats 7:30 p.m. tomorrow at the Blaisdell Concert Hall. Leonard Bernstein: Oct. 8 and 10 at the Blaisdell Concert Hall. Call 792-2000 for tickets.
THIS week and next, the Honolulu Symphony is featuring two of America's best-loved composers, both of whom died 10 years ago this fall: Aaron Copland (1900-1990) and Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990). For much of the world, these two represent American Classical Music. By Ruth O. Bingham
Special to the Star-BulletinBut what, exactly, is "American music"? As with Hawaiian music, not everything composed on American soil or even by Americans has been American. Many of our favorite genres have been imported, and much of the music that did begin here has had to battle its way into acceptance.
American Classical is especially thorny: the composer must walk a tight rope between remaining true to the style as it was defined in Europe, and embracing musics that arose in defiance of that style. As if that were not enough, America itself has an identity crisis that echoes in its music. After all, which music is American: Native American? African? Hawaiian? All of it? None of it?
Copland, whose musical earthiness endeared him to audiences, was among the first to define a distinctly American sound within the Classical style. As Maestro Samuel Wong expressed it, Copland "has the American spirit: the fair and square, the simple and grand gesture."
Simplicity is rarely so intricate. Copland's colorful but transparent orchestrations, angular but lyrical melodies, and rhythmically exciting contexts challenged every section of Honolulu's orchestra. Wong held it together, relishing Copland's many quirks and shifts, from Appalachian Spring's magnificent "Tis a Gift to be Simple" canon to El Salón México's humorous caricature of Mexican tourist-bar music. The latter offered quite a juxtaposition between serious-faced musicians and listeners sitting still to this boisterously wild, toe-tapping fiesta.
Copland's homegrown music presented a perfect opportunity to showcase the symphony's own talent: outstanding soloists included Trey Wyatt on mallets (riveting in Appalachian Spring and the last episode of Rodeo), Norman Foster on clarinet, and the exceptional-as-always Scott Janusch on oboe.
Scott Anderson, Honolulu's principal clarinetist for the past 10 years, presented Copland's Clarinet Concerto, one of the truly great concertos, originally composed for Benny Goodman. After an achingly beautiful ballad, the clarinet digresses into jazz, finally sweeping the orchestra along with it. Anderson displayed fine musicianship and an excellent control of musical line.
Quiet City featured the symphony's Lelie Resnick on English horn and Michael Zonshine on trumpet. Zonshine possesses a clear tone with depth and power, good control, and a wide range of dynamics. The English horn complemented the trumpet well and Resnick wove her part in and out of the trumpet line, tapering her phrases into musical conversation.
The closing dance episodes from the ballet Rodeo provided Wong's trademark barn-burning finale.
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