The Dallas Symphony Pops presented a program at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center Friday evening, August 27th, and there will be repeats Saturday at 8 PM and a matinee Sunday at 2:30.
The program, simply titled "Gershwin Favorites," features Broadway composer, Marvin Hamlisch ("A Chorus Line") as conductor. The feature soloist is Kevin Cole, who has devoted his professional career to the study and accurate interpretations of George Gershwin's compositions, especially "Rhapsody in Blue."
In addition to "Rhapsody in Blue," Mr. Hamlisch conducted "Swanee," "Prelude II," "Girl Crazy Overture," and "An American in Paris."
The program was supposed to also feature Mr. Hamlisch's piano solos of "Embraceable You" and "Someone to Watch Over Me." He substituted a singing performance of a student from the Dallas Booker T. Washington School of the Performing Arts, accompanied by her dad, a superb pianist.
Here's the nitty gritty. I have purposely studied the compositions of Mr. Gershwin, especially "Rhapsody in Blue," Prelude II," and "An American in Paris" for just shy of fifty years. As a result of that, I have no idea how many performance interpretations I've heard of each.
Mr. Cole is very definitely the master, at least he is with "Rhapsody in Blue." And his solo of "Rhapsody" and his encore duet with Mr. Hamlisch in a dual piano performance were totally fabulous.
BILL CHERRY, REALTORS
DALLAS - PARK CITIES
Our 45th Year
214 503-8563
Hi Bill... What a great review of this performance. I am so impressed with the arts programming we are seeing in Dallas lately!
Steve, I sure agree with you there! At the Meyerson, we especially like to sit in the seats that are above the stage where the chorus is when they perform. They are the best seats in the house and I suspect almost the cheapest.
The Dallas Symphony Pops has a very strong horn bass, and I especially like that.
Bill
I used to love listening to Marvin Hamlish....he used to be on TV all the time! Didn't he compose for Streisand a lot?Or was it Dionne Warwick?Sigh....can't remember...
Sounds like a great evening!
Miss Joanie, he's done so much stuff, I can't remember it all. What he's really good at is his Jewish humor sprinkled throughout his commentary with the audience.
He's an excellent pianist and arranger, and of course, "A Chorus Line" for which he wrote the music, is the most successful and longest running musical ever.
Bill