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Posted: |
Oct 28, 2022 - 5:21 AM
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By: |
Howard L
(Member)
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I must say it was an amazing experience for me and, I trust, for the audience. The connections to the town were as intimate as the score and being a part of it was very moving.
Moving, indeed. In the student days I used to lament playing in the woodwind sections of both orchestra and band because I couldn't hear and see what the audience was experiencing. Would love to have had the Oscar Levant treatment i.e. both places at once. This night I'm glad it was just from the audience. Wish you could have been in both places, MM. But part of me wishes I also could have tucked a violin right under my chin.
As you know, Rod Serling grew up in Binhamton walking distance to Recreation Park, home of the famous carousel and bandstand featured in the episode, the performance was held at the "Helen Foley Theatre", named for Serling's drama teacher at Binghamton High School where the 800 seat theatre is located.
The sound was stunning. Again, from the get-go. I'm talking studio sound. In a HS auditorium? Yup. Visceral reaction from the opening measures. And the crescendo at suite's end--wow. .
The experience of conducting the music with a group of actor's delivering the script was like a moment out of live radio and it was exhilarating! Conducting the suite was one thing, but syncing with the actor's was simply amazing.
I spoke with "Martin Sloan" afterward and he said they hadn't rehearsed with the music until you showed up. With all these recordings around?!  Andy [Horowitz] also mentioned he attended BHS for two years and that Helen Foley was his teacher too. Add that to the ambiance link.
And best of all was that the audience really got it. Hearing the suite first and then in context really paid off. The response was tremendous and people seemed delighted by it.
I am forever ambivalent about suites because, as in soundtrack albums, music I want to hear is often left out. So going in I was not sure if suite/first, full score/second was the way to go. Well, throw that out the door. This presentation was the best of both worlds. By satisfying both standalone listeners and orthodox enthusiasts of the genre, you end up with a true film music experience.
Delighted--what an understatement. This was a revelation.
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