The recent List dialog concerning Leopold Stokowski's adaptation of Bach
to modern symphonic resources revealed that many members are upset at the
less than authentic Stoki treatment of baroque works.  I wonder how we
would have reacted to a small jazz group interpreting the spirit ofJSB's
music as realized by Boston's Handel and Hayden Society and two of the
world's premier jazz performers.  I believe we missed entertaining shows
this weekend as reviewed by the Boston Globe's prinicipal jazz reviewer
which follows:

   MUSIC REVIEW
   Jazz/baroque concert a double delight
   By Bob Blumenthal, Boston Globe Correspondent, 02/06/99

   Collaborations between the Handel & Haydn Society and jazz musicians
   underscore similarities that are undeniably real.  Bach, after all,
   wrote the book on "making the changes," and the baroque continuo does
   resemble a walking bass line.  Still, the musics complement each other
   more than merge, and H&H shows wisdom in structuring the meetings so as
   not to force the issue.

   The current jazz/baroque summit features the Chick Corea/Gary Burton
   duo in three minisets of Corea compositions, alternating with the
   orchestra under John Finney's direction performing three concerti.
   The virtuosic whirl of Burton's vibes and Corea's piano dominated
   the evening; but the orchestra also carried itself well through its
   intelligently chosen portion of the program.

   The concert's most obvious classical/jazz connection was to be found
   in Corea's harmonic language.  It is decidedly 20th-century, however,
   with "Brasilia" recalling Villa Lobos and "No Mystery" flashing
   suggestions of Ravel.  Colors of this complexity, while not to be
   attempted on period instruments, rang out gloriously in the spacious
   confines of Symphony Hall.

   The duo's second set featured two jazz portraits, "Duende" (written
   for Lee Konitz) and "Bud Powell," and some of the most expansive
   playing from Burton's vibes.  (A golden opportunity to quote Powell's
   composition "Bud on Bach" was missed, however.) A final duo segment
   emphasized Latin rhythms, with the clarity of development in "Tango
   '92" contrasted nicely with the more turbulent Corea solo piano and
   subsequent variations of "Rhumbata." This last piece was the most
   complex of the evening, with clusters growing ever-denser and Corea
   and Burton tailing each other as soloists Daniel Stepner and Judith
   Eissenberg had done during J.S.  Bach's Concerto for Two Violins in
   D Minor.

   Soloists and ensemble merged dramatically in the Bach, a piece that
   Django Reinhardt had "jazzed" in the 1930s.  Both violinists displayed
   great passion, sweeping the orchestra along in the finale.  Stepner
   also drove the ensemble on Corelli's Concerto Grosso in D Major, with
   violinist Julie Leven and cellist Phoebe Carrai also intently focused
   in the fugue.  Finney performed Handel's Concerto for Organ in F
   Major on a period instrument with only one keyboard and no pedals.

   The rawness it imparted to the more intricate harmonies required
   getting used to, although Finney's spirited cadenzas during the
   allegro movements suggested the spontaneity that improvisation
   originally brought to these works.

   This story ran on page G06 of the Boston Globe on 02/06/99.
   © Copyright 1999 Globe Newspaper Company.

Bernard Gregoire
Hingham, MA