Patrons, soloist buzzing about NJ premiere of new concerto

Patrons who attended this week’s open rehearsal got a sneak preview of Richard Danielpour’s Clarinet Concerto—an NJSO co-commission the Orchestra performs this weekend in Englewood, Princeton and Newark.

The buzz about the new concerto—and soloist Anthony McGill, principal clarinet of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra—equaled the excitement audience members had for the program’s finale, Brahms’ First Symphony.

“Hearing the New Jersey premiere had to be [the most exciting part of the program],” one patron said. “We have a subscription to the Met, so we see [McGill] in the Met’s orchestra. Hearing some of the sounds that came out of his clarinet are unbelievable. My wife played the clarinet, and she [couldn’t believe] some of those sounds he got out of it.” Indeed, an amateur clarinetist in the audience said, “he was doing things that I didn’t even know you could do with the clarinet!”

Patrons heard Danielpour’s concerto—inspired by Martin Luther King Jr.—draw themes from transformative American music: “We heard [Danielpour quote] West Side Story and ‘The Star-Spangled Banner.’”

“It’s interesting,” another said. “[It was as if] I had a movie playing in my head the whole time because you could just see action and different emotions, and [McGill is so expressive with] his body.”

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Soloist’s perspective

In an exclusive NJSO interview, McGill shares his thoughts about the new concerto:

NJSO: Richard Danielpour wrote his Clarinet Concerto for you. How did you and he first meet, and what led to the creation of this concerto?
McGill: I’ve known Richard since I was a student at the Curtis Institute of Music. We have been talking about him writing a piece for me for some time, and he mentioned this as a potential project in the last couple of years. He was inspired by the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.; he met with his close friend Andrew Young and came to learn so much and be touched by the stories he told him about Dr. King and their struggle. Richard described his concept about the piece having the clarinet represent a pastor and the orchestra a congregation. I loved this idea and he went forward with this to create this amazing work.

NJSO: What is it like to bring a new piece to life? Did you consult with Danielpour as you were preparing for the concerto premiere?
McGill: We met quite a few times to discuss not only the concept behind the piece but also his own feelings about the civil rights movement and human rights in general. We talked about the friendships that define us and the forgiveness and peace that were at the heart of what Dr. King believed. Richard poured all of these feelings into the piece. And to be one part of that process is an absolute honor.

NJSO: What speaks to you about this concerto? What can audiences expect?
McGill: The piece is a special work. It has such beauty and expression. There are moments of soft retrospection and moments of intense rhythmic intensity that make for a really journey of sorts. There are jazzy, bluesy chords and rhythms, as well as soaring lyrical melodies.

NJSO: You’ll perform the concerto with the NJSO in three different venues across New Jersey. What is exciting (and challenging) about performing the same work in different spaces?
McGill: It’s wonderful to be able to play the piece for different communities in different spaces. I can explore how the different halls affect the sound quality and influence the expression of the piece, and it also just adds some excitement having to travel to the different venues. The acoustics can be very different from hall to hall, and it is always a welcome challenge to see which reed works better, how loud or how soft I can play and any number of other variables. I’m really looking forward to playing these concerts!

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