They heard the cheering in Oakland, I'm sure.  (It's across the bay.)
Tonight was the first official concert in the American Mavericks series
in San Francisco.

Michael Tilson Thomas conducted five pieces by Carl Ruggles, Ruth Crawford
Seeger, Lukas Foss, Meredith Monk, and Charles Ives.

Carl Ruggles' Sun-Treader started the evening.  His music is huge, and the
blocks of sound seem to grow outward. It's dissonant, difficult, yet
rewarding.

Ruth Crawford Seeger's Andante for Strings followed.  Talk about contrast
-- this is a marvelous small work that has great texture.  It's from 1931
-- same year as the Ruggles -- and is her most famous piece.

Lukas Foss' Time Cycle featured Lauren Flanigan, the soprano who was so
expressive on Wednesday in Philomel (by Milton Babbitt).This time she sang
four songs by four poets -- Auden, Housman, Kafka and Nietzsche.  Again,
Ms. Flanigan was magnificent. This is 12-tone music but it worked.

After the interval, the SF Sym Chorus joined Meredith Monk and three of her
ensemble in four a cappella pieces from ATLAS, an opera in 3 parts.  There
are no words -- yet we knew what was being conveyed. It was mesmorizing.
Ms. Monk uses body language as well as musical language.  The performers
moved, rocked gently, and turned to look at each other or the audience.
Some of the men in the chorus have not taken Alexander technique lessons,
one would guess, since they stood still or moved rather stiffly... still,
this was most rewarding.  Monk's harmonies are irresistable.

Then came the piece that most of the audience came to hear.  Charles Ives'
Fourth Symphony is not played that often, so there was anticipation in the
air.  MTT began by having the SF Sym Chorus sing four of the hymns that
are quoted in the symphony.  (He later explained that this is because most
people today don't know this music, yet when Ives wrote it, he assumed
everyone would be familiar with it.  How quickly things change.)

Then that striking prelude began, and we were off for a bracing and
thrilling experience.  In the second movement, a second conductor helped
out because there's so much going on.  You like brass bands? Have one.  How
about a drum corps? Fine.  Perhaps you like salon music -- that's here too.
Don't forget the hymn music....and all this happens at the same time.  It
was breathtaking.

The third movement is the double fugue, and was beautiful.  In the talk
after the concert,  MTT spoke of moments of beauty that bring you back to
look at a whole work. If the composer gave such pleasure here, the rest of
the work must be worth knowing. Lou Harrison said the double fugue gave him
goosebumps. The finale includes  a subterranean percussion section (it
really was below the orchestra and unseen), a theremin and the chorus
singing wordless syllables.

The audience went wild.  It felt natural to give a standing ovation for
such stunning playing -- and for the music.

In that discussion afterwards, MTT, Ms. Monk, Mr. Foss and Lou Harrison,
whose music will be celebrated Thursday, June 15, mused on what made them
mavericks.  When humour in music was brought up,. MTT said that there
should be a twinkle in the eye when writing music.  Mr. Lukas said that's
true  even if it's serious music -- otherwise, it's  just sullen.

Check out the schedule at the "waycool" website:

   http://www.americanmavericks.com/

Susan
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