By Catherine Reese Newton
The Salt Lake Tribune
Updated: 04/30/2009 10:32:10 AM MDT
Review » "Immaculate, Bored, Off-Key and Vain" isn't a description of the remaining "American Idol" contestants, nor is it the name of a law firm. It's composer David Heuser's delightfully droll setting of four Jack Prelutsky poems, and it was one of the highlights of the latest (let's hope it isn't the last) offering in the Utah Symphony's Ardean Watts Contemporary Chamber Series.
Baritone Timothy Jones, a marvelous singing actor whose performances in Peter Maxwell Davies' "Eight Songs for a Mad King" and Dominick Argento's "A Waterbird Talk" have been among this series' high points, gave another winning performance in "Immaculate, Bored, Off-Key and Vain." His diction was indeed immaculate, and his wry enjoyment was contagious. Joining in the goofy fun were concertmaster Ralph Matson, flutist Erich Graf, clarinetist Tad Calcara, cellist John Eckstein, vibraphonist Craig Fineshriber and conductor David Cho.
The evening's other offerings, while richly varied, were in a more serious vein. Composer Marcus Maroney was on hand for the premiere of the string-orchestra arrangement of his "Three Pieces for String Quartet." The haunting composition (movements were titled "Dusk," "Night" and "Dawn") featured extensive use of natural harmonics.
The rest of the program was devoted to music of Finnish composer Aulis Sallinen. The three pieces were as different from one another as they were from the Heuser and Maroney works. "Introduction and Tango Overture" showed that "Finnish tango" is not as big a contradiction as one might suppose. "Some Aspects of Peltoniemi Hintrik's Funeral March" featured some orchestral colors as unusual and intriguing as the piece's name. And Sallinen's Variations for Orchestra was a surprising demonstration of just how much can be done with a simple four-note motif.
The series, which spotlights works for chamber orchestra that go far beyond the tried-and-true Mozart, Bach and Haydn, has been one of music director Keith Lockhart's better ideas. The series has been furloughed indefinitely, another victim of economic hard times. How unfortunate it would be if it can't be revived someday soon.
Catherine Reese Newton is a music critic. Contact her at creese@sltrib.com.