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D L _1i C C r ' T T / ' ^ V r o l\\U L jK-. 1 I W 1 > Af T VI # m I JL Jr mThe Brooklyn Philharmonic Celebrates In The Park:Salute The Best Of AmericaBY DOROTHY WHITMOREThe Old West galloped into ProspectPark, July 18, when %u201cBilly the Kid,%u201d AaronCopland%u2019s stirring suite thundered fromunder the Park%u2019s bandshell to a wildlycheering audience. Under the direction ofLukas Foss, the Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra celebrated American composers, including Brooklyn bom Copland, in a concertunder the stars.The suite, which Copland composed in1938 for a ballet, begins with a plaintive andante passage featuring a haunting flutesolo. It then moved with staccato precisioninto a movement featuring fiddle sounds,tooting trumpets and pounding drums imitating a cowboy riding into town and concluded with a solemn march with invadingbrass and an exciting drumroll. The suitecaptured the %u201cpastoral open air quality thatBrooklyn bom Copland got so beautifully,%u201dannounced Foss to the audience prior to thissuite.Foss, the Philharmonic%u2019s innovativemusic director followed the Copland composition with one of his own, %u201cNight Musicfor John Lennon.%u201d This composition combined elegaic melodies with an energeticelectric fugue and ended with a mournfuldream image. Foss was working on a piecefor the Canadian Brass and Orchestra whenhe son told him that John Lennon had beenshot. %u201cI felt an elegy and heard and electricguitar,%u201d the 64-year-old Foss related to theaudience. This modem piece brought theaudience to its feet.As pink, blue and white floodlights lit themassive ellipse in the park, 1,500 people filled the arena to capacity, despite steamy,rain-threatening skies. Brooklynites fromsmall children to senior citizens absorbedLeonard Bernstein%u2019s %u201cCandide%u201d which open-(Ptioenix/Kirk Photo,Brooklyn Philharm onic M usic Director Lukas Foss put his orchestra through its pacesin a concert at Prospect Park%u2019s Ninth Street Bandshell on July 18. (Phoenix/Kirk Photo)ed the program, to the operatic %u201cPorgy andBess%u201d medly that closed the show.Yet despite the wealth oif otherAmerican-bom composers, it was Copland%u2019snight. Irving Axelrod, who has lived all his76 years in Brooklyn leapt to his feetshouting %u201cBravo%u201d at the conclusion of %u201cBilly the Kid.%u201d %u201cI like all of Copland%u2019s music,%u201dhe said. This opinion was echoed by sevenyear old Jason Freilech, who was attendinghis second classical concert with his parentsRose and Leon, of Park Slope.However, for Foss, 1986 marks a 40-yearassociation with Copland. %u201cI like him verymuch,%u201d said Foss. %u201cWe%u2019ve been closefriends for 40 years. I%u2019ve known him since Iwas 15. He was exceptionally nice to youngmusicians.%u201dMusicians, singers and audience alikefared well on the Philharmonic%u2019s performance at the bandshell, the next night aswell. On a cloud filled night with lowhumidity and cool breezes, the strains ofPuccini, Verdi and Donizetti filled tire airand B Piccolo Teatro Del Opera took overthe state. Under the direction of Anton Copnnls nrinc fmm %u201cI st Rnh(>nv> %u201d MaHarwButterfly,%u201d and %u201cRigoletto,%u201d enthralled theenthusiastic crowd. Outstanding was color-(Phoenix/Kirk Photos) Continued on Following PageJuly 24,1986, TH E PH OENIX, Page 7