orchestra21

Here is the second-ever performance of Timo Andres’ 2009 elegy for orchestra, Bathtub Shrine. The work was originally composed for the Yale Symphony, a group whose ‘camaraderie and fierce playing’ Timo and I were fortunate enough to experience first hand during our respective stays in New Haven. More from the composer:

When the YSO asked me to write a piece in memory of one of their past conductors, I knew I wanted to write for the hall that the orchestra has struggled with and triumphed in for some 40 years. Yale’s Woolsey Hall is a peculiar acoustic environment; its high ceiling, shallow stage, and hard, non-porous surfaces create a staggering 13-second reverberation, flattering some sounds and completely overwhelming others [the mighty Newberry organ sounds fantastic; anything fast or staccato, not so much]. The effect is that of a giant bathroom.

I vividly remember how surreal and unusual a space Woolsey was for performing with orchestra, and enjoyed going back in time – and place – as I got to know Timo’s piece.