Harry Wimmer harryblog@wimmercello.com

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SIR MICHAEL TIPPETT IN CARNEGIE HALL He breezed into the Aspen rehearsal studio in his shorts, rosy-cheeked and bright-eyed as if he had just jogged across the Continental Divide, which he probably had. This was Sir Michael Tippett, since the demise of Benjamin Britten recognized as the Dean of British composers. I encountered Tippett some time ago at the Aspen Music Festival when I was conducting a string orchestra of young musicians and rehearsing his Concerto for Double String Orchestra. I persuaded him to join us and share his insights. It was a joyous occasion, described in http://www.wimmercello.com/tippett.html Fast forward to February 2012. I was sitting with my wife in our favorite seats in the Carnegie Hall balcony, waiting with great anticipation for a performance of "A Child of Our Time," his now rarely heard oratorio. This was a very emotional experience for me personally, not only because this deeply felt work reaches deep into one's emotional core, but also because, as a very young child in Vienna, I was old enough to experience the impact of the monstrous Kristallnacht, the turning point in the Nazis' quest for the Final Solution. Others have written eloquently about the historical aspects of Kristallnacht (The Night of Broken Glass), how the regime used the tragedy of the assassination of a German consular official in Paris by a hapless, momentarily deranged Polish Jewish boy to scorch and loot thousands of synagogues and businesses throughout Germany and Austria. What sets Tippett's contribution apart is that, as a lifelong pacifist, he is able to forgive (not forget), forgive the misguided young perpetrator but also forgive the inhuman Nazi brutes. He is able to turn this masterpiece into a condemnation of oppression linking the Black and Jewish experience) and, in the end, with great optimism, point the way to universal brotherhood. "A Child of Our Time" could be considered Tippett's crowning achievement, not only for the emotional impact of its message but aso because of the consummate skill with which he uses chorus, orchestra and soloists to present that message. The opening brass chords and murmuring strings send chills up your spine and tears to your eyes, presaging what is yet to come: a wondrous tapestry of earth shaking events set brilliantly to music. I have also never heard American spirituals orchestrated and presented with greater beauty and impact than in this major 20th Century work, indeed "A WORK of Our Time." The Collegiate Chorale, the soloists and the American Symphony conducted by James Bagwell all performed with the greatest dedication and involvement. I feel honored to have met this fine man, Michael Tippett, if only briefly, in the Aspen mountains many years ago. POSTED: FEBRUARY 6, 2012 , COPYRIGHT AND TRADEMARK This blog created, written and maintained by Harry Wimmer (hwimmer@wimmercello.com). Thanks to Shirley Givens sgivens@juilliard.edu for her imaginative illustrations. Design and content ©2006, 2007, 2012 by Harry Wimmer, Incidental Artwork ©2006, 2007, 2012 by Shirley Givens. All materials on this blog are limited to personal, non-commercial use. CelloBlogTM Trade Mark by Harry Wimmer

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