| MUSIC
REVIEW
The Boston Pops
Keith Lockhart, conductor
At: Symphony Hall, last night
Last night's "Fiddlers
Three" concert will go down as one of the great Boston
Pops events, especially after it goes out to a world audience
on "Evening at Pops."
Three famous violinists
from three necks of the musical woods were conductor Keith
Lockhart's guests - Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, from classical
music; Regina Carter, from jazz, and Eileen Ivers, from
Celtic and folk music. Each had a solo set, then the three
women came out for the grand finale, the world premiere
of Chris Brubeck's "Interplay," which was written
especially for this occasion.
"Interplay" is a terrific piece that brought
the audience to its feet. It began, at warp speed, with
zigzag interlocking phrases for the solo violins. Then the
orchestra chimed in, and each soloist had her moment in
the sun.
Carter got a slow, bluesy torch song. Ivers took it over
and played in another rooted style, before launching into
one of her amazing accelerando takeoffs that leaves the
earth behind. There, in midair, she handed it over to Salerno-Sonnenberg,
who had a big, brilliant traditional cadenza with some bent
notes in it.
Then the trio landed in Spain for a rousing conclusion.
The three women seemed to have fun with each other and the
music; Brubeck must have had fun writing it - Vivaldi couldn't
have done it any better.
Ivers began her set with an ''Immigration Suite,'' playing
first on acoustic violin, then switching to a bright blue
electric instrument. She has charisma and technique to burn,
but she isn't playing into a mirror - it is all about tradition
and renewal. She followed up with a bluegrass number by
her friend, Ralph Blizzard, and her instrument streaked
faster than a speeding train. When Tarik Winston, tap dancer,
came on to punctuate the chugging rhythms, the audience
went wild.
Carter, coolly elegant in white, offered Ellington's ''Come
Sunday,'' Gershwin's ''Lady Be Good,'' and Milt Jackson's
''For Someone I Love'' with her own ensemble of four supporting
players, including the brilliant percussionist, Mayra Casales.
Carter bent and twisted notes and rhythms with irresistible
sophistication - you would swear that her violin was talking
and singing words.
She paid verbal tribute to Stephane Grappelli. ''I heard
him play when I was 16, and decided I had to be a jazz violinist.
My mother told me I had to learn to play in an orchestra
so I would have health insurance. I have health insurance
today, and now she's cool with jazz.''
Salerno-Sonnenberg, in blue-and-black glitter, brought
glamour, personality, daring, chops to burn, and questionable
musical taste to Saint-Saens's ''Rondo Capriccioso.'' You
couldn't take your eyes and ears off of her, but the music
plunged off the deep end and became ''Rondo a la burlesca,''
complete with bumps and grinds.
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