He wrote it and he'll conduct it Saturday
| Wednesday, Feb 03 2010 04:27 PM
Last Updated Wednesday, Feb 03 2010 04:27 PM
GO & DO
What: Bakersfield Symphony concert
When: 8 p.m. Saturday; lecture by Dr. Jerome Kleinsasser at 7 p.m. in the Potato Room
Where: Theater at Rabobank Convention Center, 1001 Truxtun Ave.
Admission: $32-$48; students half price. Tickets available at the Rabobank box office.
Cal State music professor and composer Doug Davis will conduct the Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra in the premiere of his new work "Eleanor and Estalle" on Saturday evening at the theater at Rabobank Convention Center.
The composition and performance of Davis' new piece couldn't have occurred in a more roundabout manner. It started when Davis and his wife, Adele, attended the annual symphony fundraiser known as the Black and White Ball.
"One of our annual auction items is a chance to conduct the orchestra," said BSO conductor John Farrer. "It's intended for non-musicians."
Farrer said the winner usually conducts something basic, such as "Stars and Stripes Forever." But since Davis got the prize, Farrer said he suggested Davis write something for the orchestra.
"And it worked out very well," Farrer said. "He got everything to us on time."
"Eleanor and Estalle" is named for Davis' parents. Davis said the entire work is a reflection on his life, inspired by a friend's work on a novel.
"I entered somewhat by happenstance," Davis said.
Davis said his parents had been incorporated into the novel, forcing him to provide his friend with his family's "back story."
"I was telling the story from a point of view of someone at 60," Davis said. "It was a fascination that I continued to tell it, especially for the grandchildren."
Davis said the composition reflects on his earliest fascinations with music, including the works and ideas of Bela Bartok and Paul Hindemith, among others, plus jazz improvisation and other influences, including his parents.
"I was in the high school play and I said to my teacher, 'This play needs music.' And she said, 'Write some,'" Davis said. "That teacher was my mother."
Farrer said the rest of the program features the orchestra with a number of challenging works, including "The Siege of Corinth," by Giacchino Rossini, the Concertante Musik by 20th century composer Boris Blacher, the Adagietto from Symphony No. 5 by Gustav Mahler, and the Symphony No. 5, known as the "Reformation" by Felix Mendelssohn.
"I think this is a great program for showing off the orchestra," Farrer said.
Farrer said all of the established works on the program are rarely done. Blacher's work, which fell out of vogue with that composer's death in 1975, harkens back to the German-Austrian compositional tradition, while also embracing ideas of the 20th century. "It is very jazz-like with a beautiful main tune," Farrer said.
The "Reformation" Symphony, which Mendelssohn wrote to commemorate the anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, incorporates the famous Lutheran chorale "A Might Fortress is Our God," in the fourth movement, and clearly references the music of J. S. Bach, whom Mendelssohn admired. The Mahler Adagietto features the strings and the harp.
