Denver Brass: Echoes of the Emerald Isles
A review by Marc Shulgold
Denver Brass: “Echoes of the Emerald Isles”
March 9 at Gates Concert Hall, University of Denver
It sure didn’t look or feel like St. Patrick’s Day last Saturday. The snow had piled up by the evening, and the actual Day of Days was still more than a week off — but the Denver Brass wasn’t about to let such distractions interfere. As they have for many years, the Brass gathered up a gaggle of talented guest musicians and dancers to honor the wearing of the green for the first of five performances. The crummy weather may have resulted in a disappointingly small crowd in Gates Concert Hall, but there were smiles everywhere, changing into broad grins as the traditional closer, Highland Cathedral, brought the evening to a joyous finish. And, what’s not to like? There were plenty of kilted old pipers piping, and glittery young dancers dancing, plus a fiddle-and-guitar duo cranking up some jigs and reels, and, of course, a pure-voiced tenor singing Danny Boy. C’mon, who can resist all those catchy melodies and happily hopping dance routines? The ballads bring a tear to the eye, and the upbeat tunes bring a tapping to the toes. And, how about all that fancy footwork from those downstage dancers? That’s what St. Patty’s Day is all about — well, that and wearing silly hats while drinking green beer.
But let’s not forget that the holiday also reminds us of how this country had welcomed hordes of hungry and impoverished Irish immigrants a century or so ago. To their credit, the Brass built this latest edition around that piece of American history. Many of those nostalgic “Echoes of the Emerald Isles” were projected on the rear screen, in the form of introductory texts alternating with appropriate scenic views. The ongoing storyline (also printed in green in the program book) told of that journey to America: “In the late 1800s, the potato famine drove us to sail to a new land…,” read the first entry — which was followed by an Irish-flavored reading of the American ballad, Ashokan Farewell (nicely interpreted by Kaitlin Odil on tin whistle). In a surprising twist, the texts that followed suggested that the final destination of all those arriving Irish was … Colorado? That’s what it says here: “As the breathtaking Rocky Mountains came into view, we celebrated the long-awaited journey’s end.” Really?
No matter. What emerged front and center was the marvelous music-making and the wonderfully varied dancing, delivered with eye-popping perfection by the young ladies of the Wick School and a contingent of Rocky Mountain Highland Dancers. Under the steady beat of conductor Warren Deck, the Brass soared through some traditional Irish tunes, and some not-so-traditional ones: Pachelbel’s Canon, Amazing Grace, and the Hoedown from Copland’s Rodeo. Those first two are familiar to fans of the “Echoes” program, and, truth be told, they work just fine, whether played by the fiddle-guitar team of Iain Hyde and Tom DeLong or by the stout members of the Celtic Colorado Pipes and Drums. Even the Copland was comfortably handled by the Brass, and served as a charming backdrop for the guest dancers, cutely decked out in short bib overalls. As for those plaintive ballads, the always-dependable Todd Teske returned to nail each and every high note, nimbly avoiding the trap of overdoing the schmaltz.
A glance at the calendar reminds us that St. Patrick’s Day arrives on Sunday. Thank goodness the Denver Brass will be reprising this terrific, fast-paced show all weekend, culminating with a sure sell-out on that beloved Green Day. If you adore Ireland and its smile-inducing music and dance — and, as we asked, who doesn’t? — you’ll certainly want to dig out that old emerald-green sweater and head over to DU’s Newman Center. Silly hats are welcome. Not so sure about the green beer.
The Denver Brass and friends will present “Echoes of the Emerald Isles” at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 15-16, and 2:30 p.m. March 17.
