Inauguration Music

I've had several folks ask/comment about the music at the inauguration. I heard only John Williams' piece at the oath-taking, so I can't comment on anything beyond that. But while it was being played, I was not all that impressed. It was a nice assemblage of performers but the music seemed uninspired. I came across this article which helped me realize why. I appreciate a lot of what went into the music for the day: understated as opposed to extravagant. I remember the inauguration of the Clinton administration and the presence of the choir from Philander Smith College, and the choral work commissioned by them for the event (I am good buddies with the composer, Marvin Curtis) and premiered there. This situation was different and the scale of the music was about right. So no complaints there, just with the piece itself. Then today I learned that the performers, wisely, were not playing live, but rather finger-synching to a recording. That's all fine and good, but it would have been nice to know while it was going on. Kind of explains why/how Ma was able to mug for his compatriots (beyond what he usually does) the way he did. I am certain that I, being in a similar situation, would have wished for similar consideration in light of the bitterly cold weather. I imagined heaters placed all around the players on Tuesday! Thankfully, they simply had to synch with a recording. Some noticed the ear-pieces the players wore. Those were in-ear monitors: allowing them to hear (in this setting) the recording and pace themselves to it. Use of in-ear monitors is a rapidly growing trend that saves floor space over traditional black box monitors and allows for individualized input from the sound technician for the each performers needs. They are an expensive option, but being wireless, are a vast improvement over boxes and cables strewn around the stage. I did think the presence of the clarinet was under-represented, a recording balance issue. Thanks to Arts Journal daily digest for supplying links to these very helpful articles.

Also: today I (1/27) found a nice explanation of the whys and hows or playing in cold weather.