The orchestra's eclectic selection included extended scores from Williams' collaborations with Steven Spielberg and George Lucas in the "Jurassic Park," "E.T.," "Schindler's List" and "Star Wars" series. Astonishing as it is that so many cherished pieces are the output of one composer, the orchestra played merely a sampling of Williams' works. Others of his instantly recognizable themes from the "Jaws," "Indiana Jones" and "Harry Potter" collections were sacrificed, perhaps rightly, for variety and succinctness. For good measure, though, the dreamy strains of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and "When You Wish Upon a Star" added a note of enchantment.
Somewhere during that first act, I gradually came to the realization that our generation enjoyed childhoods of rare magic. Our childhoods coincided serendipitously with the very best that Disney had to offer, not simply with its exquisite animated works but also with some of its most memorable music. Interspersed with Williams' masterpieces, Disney staples "A Whole New World," "Beauty and The Beast" and "Under the Sea" are probably the stuff of which nostalgia is made. The last of the three, particularly, would have done Sebastian himself proud on the strength of tenor Jimmy McNally '07's cheeky rendition.
It all contributed to the liveliness of the occasion, and even timing missteps between saxophonist Austin Leach '08 and the orchestra failed to disturb the ambient timelessness of "As Time Goes By" from "Casablanca." While not the orchestra's most polished outing, the concert's first act more than made up for that with its sense of exuberance and whimsy.
The second act was devoted almost exclusively to Academy Award-winning scores from musicals and classics-predictably, the tone shifted toward a vibrant intensity. Numbers from such luminous Broadway shows as "Oliver!," "My Fair Lady," "West Side Story" and "Chicago" were selected for the program. Musical aficionados might have found them vaguely unsatisfying in their brevity, but on the whole they actually worked rather well in sustaining the audience's attention. There was also some improvement in the balance of music and vocals in "Moon River" ("Breakfast at Tiffany's") and "Love is a Many-Splendored Thing"; the latter had soprano Julia Fox '07's impressive vocals soaring above the sometimes overwhelming melody.
With a dash of poetic arrangement, tunes from "The Sound of Music" concluded the evening. In spite of sporadic glitches involving harmonizing with the different vocalists and guest musicians, there really was little to dislike about the "Pops" program. Rarely does one get the opportunity to listen to so many favorites at one sitting and with live acoustics besides. The experience has the virtue of appreciating these cherished tunes in full resonance, with the accompaniment of one's imagination for a change.
"This concert was definitely different from the ones in the fall and earlier this spring," said Joseph Nwadiuko '08. "I found it quite refreshing, and also gratifying that the orchestra managed to incorporate so many notable pieces into the program. It was very enjoyable." Nothing, indeed, like the warmth of a little flashback into sounds from the past to complete a glorious spring's day.