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D’Angelo’s Compositions PremierProf. D’Angelo and Syracuse Symphony Victimized by Bad Acoustics. Bristol Gym Detracts From Fine Musical Performance, by Joe RostaNick D’Angelo and Claude Debussy endured an indecent insult last Sunday night. Despite gallant efforts by the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of the Frederik Prausnitz. Ronald Cox's choral ensembles, and Mr. D’Angelo himself, the evening’s selections were not allowed to completely fulfill their potential.Bristol Gym is a rotten concert hall. It is hot and stuffy and the ‘seats’ are designed not for Debussy but for basketball. Bristol Gym has no acoustics. Acoustics are the musician’s best friend and the audience’s joy. Acoustics are what make music music. To not have acoustics in a concert hall is like the Four Seasons using powdered eggs for a western omelet, or Harvey’1' Bristol Cream without the cream.Mr. D’Angelo’s Concerto for Orchestra (1970) was hardily performed by the Syracuse Symphony. The lullfleshcd fortissimos (loud sections) were most effective, even though the brass came off as overbalancing the strings because of the lack of acoustics. My favorite moment of the concerto was the piano solo, where again (he unfortunate construction of the gym allowed the background strings to become a disconcerting foreground.By the time Mr. Prausnitz had prepared his orchestra for Debussy’s La Mer, my arse was already in unbearable pain from the comfortable seatingsupplied by Mr. Stiles and Co. Since my legs and back had given up hope halfway through the Concerto, my ability to appre ciate La Mer was irreconcilably impaired.La Mer was vvell done, presented with the dramatic tenseness that is necessary' for the piece. Prausnitz was at this best. But the bad acoustics of Bristol again reaffirmed the faci that a gym cannot be used effectively as a concert hall, at least not this one, The strings were almost indecipherable behind the over-balanced brass woodwinds, at least from where 1 sat. The violinists were bowing viciously, but 1 could hardly hear them.The most challenging work of the evening was D’Angelo’s Symphony No. 3. Based on selected words of Walt Whitman, the Symphony is a collage of chorus, vocal soloists and orchestra. For the most part, the music seemed to fit the words well. It wasperformed well, despite a microphone malfunction that rendered Mir. Cox’s first tenor solo inaudible. 1 he soloists were excellent, as was the chorus, and Mr. Lindsay Lailord was expert, despite a dislocated shoulder.But dammit. J couldn't hear the harps! And the balance that is integral to any musical performance was missing and will alway be missing up at Bristol. Plyboard was a poor excuse for improving the deadly acoustics at our gym. I he solution is not plywood but a concert shell or hall.
Newspaper Details
Geneva Herald
Geneva, New York, US
Fri, Apr 14, 1972
Page 6
Full Page
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Anonymous
NY, USA 31 Jan 2024
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