From the Nashville Chamber Music Society
Underwood and Friends Take Us to Church
Titus Underwood & Friends presented a unique opportunity for me as a brass musician to expand my horizons: Can I, a lowly trumpet player, ‘neath the booming vaults of a European-style sanctuary, be convinced that an oboe, some strings, and a mini grand piano can provide a rapturous experience comparable to a setting of Gabrieli? Of Haydn? Of Hummel? Well…when Titus is involved…yeah!… Michael Daugherty’s Six Riffs After Ovid (2021) opened the evening’s concert, showcasing Underwood’s superb mastery of extended techniques as well as his charismatic capabilities (a mere glimpse of the night to come). The piece presents a truly fascinating concept. Based on The Metamorphoses by the Roman poet Ovid, it is a collection of six small “character” studies which capture the personalities and styles of famous modern musicians while also equating them to chosen mythological counterparts. It ranged from rapid and mischievous frivolity to soulful, yet bright passages. The star of the collection was certainly the fifth movement “Prince (Narcissus).” While not necessarily reminiscent of Prince in the expected way (seeming more attuned to the ‘Narcissus’ part of the title with its pluckier temperament), the technique which Underwood used towards its end was rather remarkable, both in itsRead More
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