Ten Classical Pieces You Don't Care About (Yet): #4

      

     An Israeli composer trained at Julliard, Avner Dorman wrote “Concerto Grosso” in 2002 for conductor Aviv Ron as part of a series dedicated to Baroque concertos. I got to hear this piece three years ago at Walt Disney Concert Hall, where its fusion of Handel and Vivaldi with Górecki, Pärt, and Glass simultaneously peppered and doused the hall in sound. The instrumentation of the piece is for two solo groups (string quartet and harpsichord) leading a larger ensemble. The first and third movements test out a world through sound: a fact that makes the rollicking, dramatic, and catchy second movement (‘Presto’) a result and precedent of instrumental exploration. Here's the whole piece:

       The composer claims to take the techniques of modern 20^th century minimalists to “new extremes,” but he doesn’t mean through extended techniques. Dorman’s dynamic contrasts are smart and youthful (he was only 26 when he wrote the piece), without scratching or screeching. At Disney Hall, the strings were impressive, the harpsichord a small wonder; I kept bouncing along not to profundity but to energy. In the third and final movement, a world continues to be tested through sound, sweetly.

     “Concerto Grosso” by Avner Dorman does not set out to prove anything, or work through past horrors or future desires.  There is no commentary here, only music. As a virtuosic showpiece for the string quartet, plus a surprising twist on old material, “Concerto Grosso” is incredibly appealing.