Mark Morris, Master of the Obvious
Mar. 21st, 2009 09:44 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kenjariOn Thursday night, I saw the Mark Morris Dance Group, and I have to say, I was not impressed. He has a reputation as a musical choreographer, but, as a musician, I have to disagree. All he does is fallow the melody/foreground. There's no deeper engagement with the music - he's just following along, not adding or interpreting anything. I did think that the choreography itself, the movement, weren't bad at all - I might have liked them better if they had been paired with different music. Morris works in some folk-dancing inspired material that I thought worked well, and the dances had a certain amount of lightness and charm at times.
Bedtime - to Schubert Lieder
I liked the second section the best, because of the use of folk elements. Unfortunately, the third section was a too-literal response to the music "Erlkonig".
All Fours - to Bartok's String Quartet No. 4
This piece was the least interesting to me, precisely because I know and love the music so very well. I kept thinking tow things: I already know how the piece goes Mr. Morris, and Does he get this music? The section to the slow movement with the cello solo almost achieved some interesting engagement with the music, but never made it all the way there.
V - to Schumann's Quintet in E-flat Major, OP. 44
Of the three dances, I liked this one the best. While it still followed the foreground and melody of the music, it contained tantalizing hints at a deeper engagement. And it made even better use of folk-style elements than the first piece did.
Bedtime - to Schubert Lieder
I liked the second section the best, because of the use of folk elements. Unfortunately, the third section was a too-literal response to the music "Erlkonig".
All Fours - to Bartok's String Quartet No. 4
This piece was the least interesting to me, precisely because I know and love the music so very well. I kept thinking tow things: I already know how the piece goes Mr. Morris, and Does he get this music? The section to the slow movement with the cello solo almost achieved some interesting engagement with the music, but never made it all the way there.
V - to Schumann's Quintet in E-flat Major, OP. 44
Of the three dances, I liked this one the best. While it still followed the foreground and melody of the music, it contained tantalizing hints at a deeper engagement. And it made even better use of folk-style elements than the first piece did.
