Classical pieces inspire LACO’s modern creations

Anyone who’s been to a Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra concert has enjoyed a view of the Alex Theatre.

One of Glendale’s foremost cultural centers and historic landmarks, the theater was originally used for  vaudeville acts and motion picture screenings. The Alex features a classic cinema style billboard and outdoor courtyard. Yet, the inside of the theater provides a sophisticated atmosphere with Greek and Egyptian details and boasts a finely tuned acoustic quality.

But just as the Alex features contemporary and classical elements, the 44-year-old LACO does not fit the mold of a crotchety old orchestra. In its new season, LACO blends classical masters’ work with modern composers and pushes musical boundaries.

[Correction: A previous version of this story stated the LACO is 15 years old. The orchestra is 44 years old.]

As it attempts to bring young audiences to time-tested music, LACO offers Campus to Concert Hall season passes that cost less than a full tank of gas and allow students to experience live orchestral music. LACO also has a strong partnership with USC’s Thornton School of Music. The unique LACO-USC Thornton Strings Mentorship Program gave USC student Mary Reed the opportunity to perform with LACO last April.

LACO’s Oct. 7 opening night performance of Ravel and Beethoven featured the West Coast premieres of young musicians Andrew Norman and James Matheson’s pieces. Through the preludes, audience members learned how Alexander Calder’s iconic sculpture “La Grande Vitesse” in Grand Rapids, Mich. inspired Norman, a USC graduate and current LACO composer-in-residence, to write “Great Swiftness.” The new interpretation of the sculpture uses shifting melodies to lend a sense of movement to the piece and to reflect Calder’s undulating work.

For James Matheson, it was Werner Herzog’s film Encounters at the End of the World that gave him the inspiration for his piece “True South.” The unusual inspiration seems to keep the old musical form fresh.

The program opened with a stunning Ravel piece, “Piano Concerto in G Minor,” where Jeffrey Kahane conducted and played the piano. Aside from being a testament to Kahane’s skill as a musician and conductor, the concerto stuns with three distinct movements. The first movement features a sunny melody line interspersed with a few passing clouds. In contrast, the second movement fades to sunset and sounds like a mourning for a lost day. After a long grand pause, the third movement picks up with a bittersweet sunrise that incorporates some sunshine into the somber mood.

Norman’s “The Great Swiftness,” the next performance, provided a stark contrast to Ravel’s classical style. “Great Swiftness” highlights the orchestra’s ability to change styles and features swooping sounds reminiscent of a pinball rolling down the machine. Unlike strictly classical pieces, Norman’s music incorporates abstract sounds, relying more on feeling and tone then melody and harmony.

Matheson’s “True South” followed and, once again, highlighted LACO’s versatility, adding rhythmic layers on top of sustained pitches. A lack of silence makes the piece  all the more prominent with its dynamic and tonical contrasts. At times, the sound is as gentle and ephemeral as soap bubbles but can change just as quickly to a sonorous roar.

Following a brief intermission, the orchestra welcomed Augustin Hadelich to perform Beethoven’s “Violin Concerto in D Major.” A classic Beethoven piece, the music is lively with undertones of storminess. Hadelich’s solos are like caramel candies for the ears: They melt and evolve to highlight these rich undertones and leave a lingering sweetness. The orchestra beautifully balanced Hadelich’s cadenzas, as the piece took on a conversational yet majestic tone.

Afterward, Hadelich also treated the audience to an encore performance of Bach’s “Sonata No. 2 Andante.” This performance was the icing on LACO’s already-enjoyable evening.

But LACO connected with music lovers before and after the performance. The orchestra offers free Concert Preludes with the composers before each show. These chats are not just for music buffs: audience members get to know the composers by asking questions. The informal preludes also give background on the inspiration for the pieces and provide a context for listening to the music.

After the concert, KUSC broadcasts LACO’s entire 2011-12 season on Sundays at 4 p.m. on 91.5 FM, giving everyone a chance to enjoy LACO’s dynamic, innovative music.