Painting with sound: SSO delivers a colourful musical journey with the Picasso Symphony
by Scott Roos
photos courtesy of the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra via Julie Isaac Photography
The Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra brought the artistic world of Pablo Picasso to life in an ambitious multimedia experience that celebrates two creative disciplines while showcasing the orchestra's impressive versatility.
Saskatoon has a pretty special connection to Pablo Picasso. Thanks to the generous donation of more than 400 of the legendary artist's linocuts to the Remai Modern from the Frank and Ellen Remai Foundation, the city has an opportunity to experience Picasso's work in a way few places can. On Sunday evening, the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra added another dimension to that relationship with the Canadian debut of the Picasso Symphony this past Saturday, Nov. 7.
Created by Jason Michael Paul (with the blessing of the Picasso Succession Paris and the Igor Stravinsky Foundation) and musically directed by Saskatchewan's own Maestro Kevin Zakresky, the multimedia production combined a sweeping visual retrospective of Picasso's life and artistic evolution with a carefully curated collection of orchestral works and works by the artist himself. As images and footage of Picasso's creations unfolded across the big screen, the SSO provided the musical accompaniment, drawing from composers including Igor Stravinsky, Manuel de Falla, Heitor Villa-Lobos, Erik Satie, Benjamin Britten and others. It's an ambitious concept, but one that proved to be both entertaining and genuinely fascinating.
The sheer volume and variety of Picasso's work on display was impressive. Moving through his various artistic periods, the presentation offered a terrific cross-section of a career that continually evolved, challenged conventions and occasionally ventured into some wonderfully peculiar territory. From recognizable masterpieces to some of his more unconventional creations, there was plenty to absorb, and the visual presentation provided an interesting backdrop against which to experience the music.
Leading the orchestra through this eclectic collection was Zakresky, who was terrific on the podium. Energetic, expressive and occasionally bordering on the flamboyant, he brought an infectious enthusiasm to the proceedings and clearly inspired the musicians around him.
One particularly nice touch was his willingness to acknowledge individual members of the orchestra following certain segments, recognizing musicians who had played pivotal roles in those proceeding performances. It's a small gesture, but one that adds a welcome human element to a production of this scale and reminds audiences of the individual talent that makes up the orchestra. And there was plenty of talent on display.
The SSO demonstrated an impressive amount of depth and versatility throughout the evening, moving comfortably between sweeping orchestral passages, rhythmic complexity, modernist experimentation and more playful musical territory.
One of the highlights came courtesy of Heitor Villa-Lobos' Guitar Concerto, with guitarist Stephen Davis delivering an outstanding performance. Tackling selections from both the first and second movements, Davis demonstrated remarkable technical precision and musical sensitivity. He handled the demanding passages with an effortless confidence that made the whole thing look deceptively easy. World-class playing, as they say, and a definite highlight of the evening.
It was also particularly enjoyable hearing the orchestra tackle some of the more adventurous selections in the program. Igor Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring remains one of those compositions that never loses its ability to challenge and surprise, and the SSO did an admirable job with excerpts from the first part, L'Adoration de la terre. The introduction and Les Augures printaniers offered a taste of the rhythmic intensity and orchestral colour that made the work so revolutionary.
The selections from Erik Satie's Parade were another compelling inclusion. The work's unusual instrumentation and playful character provided some terrific opportunities for the auxiliary percussionists, whose contributions added plenty of colour and a little humour to the proceedings. The program also offered an opportunity to hear works by members of Les Six, including Germaine Tailleferre's Overture for Orchestra and Darius Milhaud's La Création du Monde. Add in Benjamin Britten, Sergei Prokofiev, Manuel de Falla and Isaac Albéniz, and you've got a pretty eclectic musical journey.
And, really, who doesn't enjoy a little Gustav Holst? The orchestra's performance of Jupiter from The Planets was another welcome addition, showcasing the SSO's ability to deliver the expansive, majestic orchestral sound that makes Holst's music so immediately appealing.
As an instrumental musician myself, the evening certainly left me wanting more. The excerpts from The Rite of Spring had me wishing I could hear the entire work performed by the SSO, while the Satie selections and Prokofiev's First Symphony were equally enticing. That's probably the best kind of problem to have when you've just attended a concert.
Ultimately, the Picasso Symphony was an enjoyable and thoughtfully assembled celebration of art and music. The visual presentation offered a fascinating look at one of history's most prolific and influential artists, while the musical selections provided an equally engaging journey through some of the most interesting orchestral writing of the 20th century.
And through it all, the SSO demonstrated just how much musical range, personality and fire it has at its disposal.
Picasso supplied the pictures, Zakresky supplied the energy, and the orchestra supplied the magic. It was a terrific evening that left me appreciating both the artistic genius on the screen and the considerable talent onstage.
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