Colin Currie Group at Zellerbach Hall Auditorium, November 3, 2022

Cal Performances presents A Steve Reich Celebration featuring Colin Currie Group and Synergy Vocals
Zellerbach Hall Auditorium
U.C. Berkeley, Bancroft Way at Telegraph Ave, Berkeley, CA 94305 USA
7:30 PM, Thursday, November 3, 2022

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[7:n PM] {lights down, announcements, performers out}

Steve Reich (b.1936): Tehillim (1981)

1. [7:45 PM] Part I, fast; text: Psalm 19:1-4 »
2. [7:53 PM] Part II, fast; text: Psalm 34:12-14
   [7:59 PM] {pause for applause}
3. [8:00 PM] Part III, slow; text: Psalm 18:25-26 »
4. [8:06 PM] Part IV, fast; text: Paslm 150:4-6
   [8:10 PM] {work ends}
   {long pause for stage work}

[8:24 PM] {lights down, performers out: tuning}
[8:26 PM] {CC out to begin the piece}

Reich: Traveler’s Prayer (2020) (West Coast Premiere, Cal Performances Co-commission)

1. [8:26 PM] Part I
2. [8:n PM] Part II
3. [8:n PM] Part III
   [8:40 PM] {set ends; long bit of applause; bows}
   [8:42 PM] {set break!}

[9:06 PM] {lights down, performers out}

Reich: Music for 18 Musicians (1974-76)

1. [9:07 PM] i. Pulses
2. [9:n PM] ii. Section I
3. [9:n PM] iii. Section II
4. [9:n PM] iv. Section IIIA
5. [9:n PM] v. Section IIIB
6. [9:n PM] vi. Section IV
7. [9:n PM] vii. Section V
8. [9:n PM] viii. Section VI
9. [9:n PM] ix. Section VII
10. [9:n PM] x. Section VIII
11. [9:n PM] xi. Section IX
12. [9:n PM] xii. Section X
13. [10:n PM] xiii. Section XI
14. [10:n PM] xiv. Pulses
    [10:09 PM] {work ends}
    [10:10 PM] {bows & curtain-less call back}

[10:13 PM] {begin Q&A with Colin Currie & Micaela Haslam, hosted by Jeremy Geffen}
[10:33 PM] {all done}

• George Barton: percussion;
• Richard Benjafield: percussion;
• Nicholas Bootiman: viola;
• Emma Burgess: clarinet, bass clarinet;
• Meghan Cassidy: viola;
• Simon Crawford-Phillips: piano;
• Colin Currie: conductor, drums, percussion;
• Peter Facer: oboe;
• Emma Feilding: oboe, cor anglais;
• Tim Gibbs: double bass;
• Clio Gould: violin;
• Owen Gunnell: percussion;
• Michelle Hromin: clarinet, bass clarinet;
• Bea Lovejoy: violin;
• Dave Maric: piano;
• Zoë Martlew: cello;
• Robin Michael: cello;
• Philip Moore: piano;
• Jonathan Morton: violin;
• Greta Mutlu: violin;
• Siwan Rhys: piano;
• Catherine Ring: percussion;
• Adrian Spillett: percussion;
• Rowland Sutherland: flute;
• Sam Walton: percussion;
• Helen Whitaker: flute, piccolo.

Synergy Vocals

• Heather Cairncross: alto vox;
• Micaela Haslam: founder, soprano vox;
• Benedict Hymas: tenor vox;
• Caroline Jaya-Ratnam: soprano vox;
• Amanda Morrison: soprano vox;
• Rachel Weston: soprano vox;
• Will Wright: tenor vox.

Because I'm losing my mind, we arrive about 10 minutes late for the show. The house manager insists that we can't be seated until break (30 min from now!), but that we're welcome to enjoy the event from the upstairs lobby – listening & watching from the monitors there. Not good! Being well-trained, we head upstairs as directed, then pop through a side door and sneak down into our regular seats on the left side tier. While the view is somewhat off-center (naturally!), it's also free of obscuring heads, and we settle in to enjoy the show.

Tehillim is terrific, and the group earns a rousing ovation from the crowd once it ends. Surprisingly, the pause to strike and reset the stage is nearly as long as the following work itself, the West Coast premiere of Reich's Traveler’s Prayer. Premiered only two days earlier at Carnegie Hall, it's a really different work than Tehillim: far more serene and contemplative, and reminiscent of his 1996 piece, Proverb. I think I'll need to hear it again before making any significant commentary. Presumably Colin Currie & Synergy Vocals will release a recording in the near future.

Following a proper intermission (during which the stage hands work tirelessly to set things right) it's time for the main course: Music for 18 Musicians. According to my notes, the last time I heard this performed was nearly ten years ago. Dang, time flies!! And prior to that, a June 2000 performance by the Steve Reich Ensemble (writeup absent from my wiki at present – that belongs to the days when my paper notes ended up in file boxes now in the garage). It's nearly impossible to compare versions across such a time span, so I won't. Tonight was mesmerizing (as it should be!), engaging, and well worth the time spent listening.

The post show talk was also pretty good. Jeremy Geffen seemed way too excited about the event: he could hardly get out of his own way while posing his questions. Both Colin and Micaela were good speakers, and they offered neat commentary on the evening's rite. I was a trifle disappointed that Jeremy was the only source of questions – I like the free-for-all of sending a mic out into the audience – but I'm guessing that was omitted on account of the late hour. Ending after 10:30 PM, it's been years since the last time I can remember a CalPerformances event lasting over three hours.

Program Notes or program notes

Emily Wilson posted an interesting promo article for the event with SFCV.

Joshua Barone posted a review of the preceding premiere of Traveler's Prayer at Carnegie Hall earlier this week with the New York Times.

Nonesuch Records hosted a promo talk between John Schaefer and Steve Reich … give it a listen!

Big thanks to Ting for the photo gallery!

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Back to the previous event! ☸ Up to the 2022 yearbox! ☸ Up to the 2022 event list! ☸ On to the next event!