Oakland East Bay Symphony

Since I have a tight deadline tomorrow morning, I will be brief here, but the Oakland East Bay Symphony continues to amaze me. Once again Michael Morgan has put together a good program with two modern works, Beethoven's Fidelio overture (I would have struck that one, as there is little to be said in favor of Beethoven's one lame attempt at an opera, and the orchestra was a little dull on it), and Dvorak's New World Symphony.

Morgan's taste in contemporary music lists a bit towards the neo-tonalist side, so usually the contemporary pieces are mildly pleasant fluff to match the composer's hair (ever notice how neo-tonalists often are in need of haircuts? Of course I am currently in need of a haircut, and I am no neo-tonalist, so go figure). The world premiere was very good, though, as was the Zyman flute concerto.

I have to admit that I had never heard Zyman before, and was impressed. The concerto was good, solid neo-classical writing, without the irritating affectations that Stravinsky always brought to his neo-classical work. Soloist Elena Duran was definitely on top of the music.

As for the Dvorak, it is a great piece, and Morgan handled it well. I am pleased that the OEBS keeps getting better and better. It will never catch up to the San Francisco Symphony, but it is definitely worth checking out if you are in the area. Also, any excuse to go to Tim Pfluegger's glorious art deco masterpiece, the Oakland Paramount Theater, is worth the price of admission. If the music ever lags, there is always the ceiling (and the walls, and the mosaic work and the lobby, and the carpet, and the fixtures) to look at.

I kind of wish that they had the Paramount's organist playing show tunes as patrons found their seats, as they do during films. He usually plays pieces from the films, and I think it would be interesting to hear the symphonic music on the Mighty Wurlitzer. Sometimes it would really be an improvement. Then, as the concert master enters the stage, the Wurlitzer could descend into its pit, with the audience clapping along to the Paramount theme.

If Michael Morgan reads this blog he will probably forbid me from ever interviewing one of the OEBS guest artists again, but if the suggestion just hits the right ears...