CONCERT REVIEW: A marriage of cinema and music (05/17/98)

CONCERT REVIEW: A marriage of cinema and music

by Ludmila Ulehla

ENGLEWOOD, N.J. - The concert by the New Jersey Youth Symphony, conducted by Adrian Bryttan at The John Harms Center for the Arts on February 28, was one of the most exciting and imaginative concerts I have ever attended. The nostalgia of seeing Greta Garbo in the silent film "Flesh and the Devil" (MGM, 1926) with music written for it by Carl Davis in 1982 and performed by an enthusiastic, talented group of teenage musicians was indeed a merger of generations. It worked marvelously. Bravos must go to Maestro Bryttan who brought together these diverse concepts and molded all into a unique experience.

Not only did the young orchestra members learn the music technically, but they had to follow the intricate tempo changes, as Maestro Bryttan so expertly synchronized the music with the action of the film. The expressive nuances in the orchestra reflected the changing scenes.

Among them, the Wagnerian string theme, warmly played by the performers representing the bond of brotherhood; the violin solo, reminiscent of Massenet's "Mediation from Thais," as the theme of love between Garbo and John Gilbert; the writing for solo string quartet at several seductive moments for Garbo; the interplay of organ and brasses during the pastor's sermon as he berates the illicit romance; the comical German-Prussian marches during the servants scene as they prepare to meet their returning master; and the sweep of the central waltz ball, with its echoes of Strauss and Ravel.

What a challenging project this was for a youth orchestra! Maestro Bryttan's vibrant enthusiastic leadership in all of the phases of building the orchestra's rich sound, his knowledge of the instruments, and his care and understanding of the musical growth of these talented students brought about this amazing professional result heard that evening.

Leatrice Fountain Gilbert, the daughter of John Gilbert, attended the performance, and spoke to the audience, noting that she "had been to performances of this film all over the world, including a festival in Finland, but had never heard such a sensitive performance of the film score as on this occasion."

Ludmila Ulehla is on the composition faculty at the Manhattan School of Music. Her "Symphony in Search of Sources," was performed by the Lviv Philharmonic, under the direction of Adrian Bryttan, in 1995. Maestro Ulehla's most recent work "Visions," for flute, clarinet, cello, piano and percussion, was inspired by the space explorations of the summer of 1997.