Chamber Music, Live from Morristown: Good Evening, Mr. Brown!

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By Barbara Snyder

So for the past two hours, I’ve been sitting in front of a roaring fire, a papillon on my lap, watching this terrific concert live online – all while putting together a work proposal, downloading WordPress Plugins, writing an article for this website, and Tweeting and Facebooking the concert itself.

Papillon
Papillon

Hmmm. I guess I’m living in the Twenty-Teens, huh?  (And now I’m writing this article, too!  Sheesh.)

In truth, though, I don’t feel stressed by technology.  I feel great.  I just heard a wonderful musical ensemble as if it had been right here in my living room.  Gorgeous music and tremendous energy!  Laughs and virtuosity!  Little explanatory asides from the musicians, and rhythm exercises for everybody!

Stephen P. Brown is a very amusing and entertaining guy (“Good evening, Mr. Brown!” a hundred hardy souls chime in unison, on cue, on a way-below-freezing night) and very obviously completely enraptured by what he’s doing.

Which is — and I didn’t really think anymore that it was possible — playing modern classical music that’s utterly accessible and stunningly lovely.  All while showing everybody a ripping good time.

Photos by Bill Lescohier; click icon for captions.

There was a moment there during the first half  (I didn’t actually expect to be writing this article  — thanks, Kevin! – so I’m not totally sure which piece I was listening to) that was so beautifully sad — so sweetly sorrowful – that I stopped breathing for a moment, till I remembered I really ought to start again.  Pretty sure it was the Dectet by David Sampson – the composer himself was on hand tonight, and Kevin got an interview with him — and the 2nd movement (tempo: Lamentfully).

Here now – live as I’m writing this – Stephen Brown is introducing the final piece for the evening:  His own composition and a world premiere, Not Rach 3.  He means that it’s not Rachminoff’s Third Piano Concerto; Jared Tafaro, who teaches music at St. Elizabeth Collge, is going to play it.

SPB has never heard it before himself; he’s quite nervous about hearing it for the first time, he says.  He’s giving away free copies of the score to people who have notepads on their persons.  It’s really all fascinating.  He’s a force of nature, and a splendid guide/companion on an adventurous musical  jaunt on the coldest night of the year.  Not that I would know anything about how cold it is outside, of course.

And now the concert is over. Standing ovation. I completely understand.

SPB’s motto, says the big banner on the wall:  “There’s more to music than music.”   And he’s true to his word — at least, when he’s putting on a show.

MORE ON THE STEPHEN P BROWN CONCERT

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