by Warren M. Sherk
Reporting from London, October 26, 2011
The second London Symphony Orchestra rehearsal, in preparation for Thursday night’s concert, “Symphonic Hollywood: The Music of Dimitri Tiomkin” took place at Barbican Hall this morning.
The first hour was spent playing through and polishing Cyrano de Bergerac, as well as rehearsing Guns of Navarone, with its dynamic march theme. The soaring theme near the end shares the joie de vivre of the theme from The High and the Mighty.
After the first hour, the LSO was joined by the London Voices. First up, The Alamo suite. The always popular “Green Leaves of Summer,” followed by the festive “Here’s to the Ladies,” then the plaintive “De Guello.” For the reprise of “Green Leaves” the choir sneaks in with wordless “Ahs.” “Davy Crockett” and “Battle of the Alamo,” picked up after a break, are stand-alone pieces in the suite. The “Battle” ends with a triumphant choral-infused fragment of “Green Leaves.”
For Land of the Pharaohs the quiet main title song, with lyrics by Ned Washington, is paired with the dynamic underscore of a processional seen in the film’s opening sequence. Regarding the “Pharaoh’s Procession,” in the liner notes for the soundtrack released by Film Score Monthly in 2008, album producer Lukas Kendall quotes musicologist Sigmund Spaeth, “In the impressive opening scene showing Pharaoh’s armies marching home from their conquests, the chief theme of the score is heard immediately, in blaring brass and percussive rhythm, represented in the picture by the long trumpets characteristic of authentic Egyptian music and portable drums shaped like the modern timpani, which actually supply the sturdy beat of the march time.”
The sweet beauty of the endearing Pharaohs song with descriptive and sensual lyrics, such as “lovers warm their lips, with the fire of a kiss” should be an audience pleaser. In fact, after the LSO Live recording is made and released I wouldn’t be surprised if the ethereal vocal, as sung by Whitney Claire Kaufman, will catch the attention of singers who will then be anxious to get their hands on the song.
Last up, Wild Is the Wind, also sung by Whitney. Conductor Richard Kaufman aptly described the song as cool and sultry. Helping to provide that feeling will be a rhythm section of piano, bass, and drums augmenting the orchestra. The song will contrast nicely with the other works on the program and will give the audience a chance to sit back and luxuriate in the warm sound.
Richard’s strategy of starting the rehearsals yesterday with the most difficult works was wise. Getting the brunt of the fast tempos, devilishly difficult writing, and tricky tempo changes behind early on laid a good foundation to build on in today’s rehearsal.
TOMORROW: The London Symphony Orchestra presents Symphonic Hollywood: The Music of Dimitri Tiomkin