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Colin Currie Group at Zellerbach Hall Auditorium, November 3, 2022

Cal Performances presents A Steve Reich Celebration featuring Colin Currie Group and Synergy Vocals
Zellerbach Hall Auditorium
U.C. Berkeley, Bancroft Way at Telegraph Ave, Berkeley, CA 94305 USA
7:30 PM, Thursday, November 3, 2022

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Set One

[7:n PM] {lights down, announcements, performers out}

Steve Reich: Tehillim

Steve Reich (b.1936): Tehillim (1981)

  1. [7:45 PM] Part I, fast; text: Psalm 19:1-4 »
  2. [7:53 PM] Part II, fast; text: Psalm 34:12-14
    [7:59 PM] {pause for applause}
  3. [8:00 PM] Part III, slow; text: Psalm 18:25-26 »
  4. [8:06 PM] Part IV, fast; text: Paslm 150:4-6
    [8:10 PM] {work ends}
    {long pause for stage work}

Steve Reich: Traveler’s Prayer

[8:24 PM] {lights down, performers out: tuning}
[8:26 PM] {CC out to begin the piece}

Reich: Traveler’s Prayer (2020) (West Coast Premiere, Cal Performances Co-commission)

  1. [8:26 PM] Part I
  2. [8:n PM] Part II
  3. [8:n PM] Part III
    [8:40 PM] {set ends; long bit of applause; bows}
    [8:42 PM] {set break!}

Set Two: Steve Reich: Music for 18 Musicians

[9:06 PM] {lights down, performers out}

Reich: Music for 18 Musicians (1974-76)

  1. [9:07 PM] i. Pulses
  2. [9:n PM] ii. Section I
  3. [9:n PM] iii. Section II
  4. [9:n PM] iv. Section IIIA
  5. [9:n PM] v. Section IIIB
  6. [9:n PM] vi. Section IV
  7. [9:n PM] vii. Section V
  8. [9:n PM] viii. Section VI
  9. [9:n PM] ix. Section VII
  10. [9:n PM] x. Section VIII
  11. [9:n PM] xi. Section IX
  12. [9:n PM] xii. Section X
  13. [10:n PM] xiii. Section XI
  14. [10:n PM] xiv. Pulses
    [10:09 PM] {work ends}
    [10:10 PM] {bows & curtain-less call back}

Post Show Q&A

[10:13 PM] {begin Q&A with Colin Currie & Micaela Haslam, hosted by Jeremy Geffen}
[10:33 PM] {all done}

Performers

Colin Currie Group

Synergy Vocals

Synergy Vocals

Notes

Because I'm losing my mind, we arrive about 10 minutes late for the show. The house manager insists that we can't be seated until break (30 min from now!), but that we're welcome to enjoy the event from the upstairs lobby – listening & watching from the monitors there. Not good! Being well-trained, we head upstairs as directed, then pop through a side door and sneak down into our regular seats on the left side tier. While the view is somewhat off-center (naturally!), it's also free of obscuring heads, and we settle in to enjoy the show.

Tehillim is terrific, and the group earns a rousing ovation from the crowd once it ends. Surprisingly, the pause to strike and reset the stage is nearly as long as the following work itself, the West Coast premiere of Reich's Traveler’s Prayer. Premiered only two days earlier at Carnegie Hall, it's a really different work than Tehillim: far more serene and contemplative, and reminiscent of his 1996 piece, Proverb. I think I'll need to hear it again before making any significant commentary. Presumably Colin Currie & Synergy Vocals will release a recording in the near future.

Following a proper intermission (during which the stage hands work tirelessly to set things right) it's time for the main course: Music for 18 Musicians. According to my notes, the last time I heard this performed was nearly ten years ago. Dang, time flies!! And prior to that, a June 2000 performance by the Steve Reich Ensemble (writeup absent from my wiki at present – that belongs to the days when my paper notes ended up in file boxes now in the garage). It's nearly impossible to compare versions across such a time span, so I won't. Tonight was mesmerizing (as it should be!), engaging, and well worth the time spent listening.

The post show talk was also pretty good. Jeremy Geffen seemed way too excited about the event: he could hardly get out of his own way while posing his questions. Both Colin and Micaela were good speakers, and they offered neat commentary on the evening's rite. I was a trifle disappointed that Jeremy was the only source of questions – I like the free-for-all of sending a mic out into the audience – but I'm guessing that was omitted on account of the late hour. Ending after 10:30 PM, it's been years since the last time I can remember a CalPerformances event lasting over three hours.

Program Notes or program notes

Emily Wilson posted an interesting promo article for the event with SFCV.

Joshua Barone posted a review of the preceding premiere of Traveler's Prayer at Carnegie Hall earlier this week with the New York Times.

Nonesuch Records hosted a promo talk between John Schaefer and Steve Reich … give it a listen!

Photos

Big thanks to Ting for the photo gallery!

Whoa! This section is incomplete for now, sorry!

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