Coincidentally but aptly titled “Elevation,” Mary Grey’s newest work, premiered Sunday at about 5,430 feet above sea level, where it was conceived by the Bay Area composer and sound designer.
Undeterred by a steady rain cascading on Boulder’s Chautauqua Auditorium, the single- movement work for solo violin and orchestra received a well-executed debut in the competent collaboration of violinist Leila Josefowicz and Michael Christie directing the Colorado Music Festival Chamber Orchestra.
The work consists of soaring violin passages that seem to hover above the orchestra. Indeed, the exciting, interactive orchestration sometimes rhythmically embraces, sometimes harmonically repels the violin themes. As in a swell of emotion, the work crescendos until it reaches an absorbing resolution, a sense of unity between violin and orchestra.
But “Elevation” could use an editor. While the structure of the multimetered, accessible themes is cogent and compelling, their development is often arguably unfocused and rambling. Nevertheless, the performance shone under Christie’s baton and Josefowicz’s brilliant technique and instinctive musicianship.
The only obvious distraction was that the orchestra overpowered the fiery virtuoso in the beginning and end of the piece.
Like Grey, American composer Aaron Copland is big on rhythm, so it seemed fitting that two of his works flanked “Elevation.” Christie’s delivery of the simple, minimalist motifs of Copland’s film score to “The City” again showcased the ever-evolving maturation of the CMF’s young music director. With the film projected behind the audience – including scenes depicting the evolution of rural, agrarian life into the industrial age – the maestro mainly kept pace with the charming clips in a wonderfully pleasing rendition of the atmospheric orchestration.
After intermission, CMF principal trumpeter Jeffery Work and English horn player Nicholas Masterson joined Christie and their musician colleagues in a superbly nuanced rendition of Copland’s incidental music to Irwin Shaw’s play “Quiet City.”
Concluding the program, Christie featured Mozart’s Symphony No. 38, an overall unrelated selection alongside works by Copland and Grey except for its “Prague” moniker indicating an urban theme. Christie and the cohesive chamber orchestra skillfully captured the intricacy of the highly structured, tuneful counterpoint passages as well as the slow drama of the opening adagio movement and the power of the robust finale.
