Brooklyn Rider leaves its mark on Portland – and takes a bit home with them
Over the course of less than 48 hours, the string quartet Brooklyn Rider gave generously to Ovations’ audiences and received much in return.
Our time with Brooklyn Rider started at Hannaford Bros supermarket on Forest Avenue. … in the back of the produce section no less! Friday night the ensemble setup with their music stands and performed for unsuspecting audiences during rush hour. A small crowd gathered. Two small children danced enthusiastically and freely. A couple commandeered the bench that had been placed out and snuggled close. Several people stood with their cell phones in the air, taking photos and videos. It was a musical happening that went beyond any of our expectations, including the quartet’s, who while completely game for the idea, had some questions about how it would play out.
The next morning during an Ovations Members’ Salon, the quartet shared their passion for chamber music, the relationship they have to and respect for the traditional literature, and the audiences they are trying to reach now. That afternoon, a mere 23 hours into their two-day residency the quartet commented that they were really connecting with Portland and that they too were getting much out of the experience, which by then included a fabulous dinner at one of Portland’s excellent restaurants.
The sharing, intimacy and rather organic course of the two days continued during the musical conversation that flowed between ensemble member Colin Jacobson and composer/USM Assistant Professor of Music Dan Sonenberg during the pre-performance talk
And then there was the concert itself, which featured a work by Colin, pieces by Philip Glass, John Cage, and Claude Debussy and an encore presentation of “Ascending Bird,” from their collaboration with Persian master musician Kayhan Kalhor. I fear any critique or review I try to impose here would only detract from what proved to be a magical, in-the-moment, live performance experience.
I hope others who experienced this time with Brooklyn Rider will also share.
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Dan Sonenberg says:
Yes - the Glass was a true revelation. In our pre-concert talk, Colin mentioned that the quartets are truly some of Glass’s best work, and that was certainly supported by their great performance of #5. As a huge new music buff, I was actually prepared for a little bit of a letdown before they started the Debussy (19th century music, after all!) but their performance of it was electrifying, reminding me how modern that piece manages to be to this day. The whole weekend with them was terrific - what great guys, and what magical musicians.
Heidi Hansen says:
Thank you, Aimee, for creating such unique experiences like the Hannaford performance and the Members’ Salon. Beyond the amazing performance on Saturday night, it’s so much fun to see artists interacting with our community. And yes, it was clear to me that the artists enjoyed this as well!
Jim Morgan says:
For years I thought Philip Glass was interesting, but rather one-dimensional, and I didn’t pay much attention to his work. How shallow. Thank you, Brooklyn Rider, for re-introducing me to the String Quartet No. 5. It was thrilling, and the way it was followed by Cage, leading into Debussy was invigorating and informative.