I join many in proclaiming that my favorite rock band
of all time is the Rolling Stones. They were formed in 1962 but their concerts
still fill stadiums. Their iconic music
and the energy propelled by their lead singer Mick Jagger gets your blood
pumping. Our Grammy Award winning Pittsburgh Symphony recently merged with a rock
band to recreate the "Music of the Rolling Stones: Mick Jagger & Keith Richard 1969." I have stood in line for many a Stones
concert but this time I was ready to rock n’ roll with
the Pittsburgh Symphony as they played from an incredible catalog of Rolling Stones 1969 hits.
Refection
Arranger/conductor
Brent Havens plays tribute to a variety of iconic artists with Winborne Music productions that bridge together an orchestra with classic rock. It’s hard to
picture violins playing along with electric guitar riffs but that and more is
what happened in “Windborne’s The Music of the Rolling Stones.”
The show burst open with the pounding introduction bongo
rhythms of "Sympathy for the Devil". Singer, Brody Dolyniuk, strut across the
stage giving us the Jagger periodic high pitched “Oo-hoo.” The orchestra began to build, adding layers
of symphonic sounds as the strings seemed to dance with the guitar. Red lights flickered as Dolyniuk sung, “Please
to meet you. Hope you guess my name.” This merger of "Jagger" and the orchestra added explosive depth and energy to this
already epic song.
Heads bobbed to the rhythms of “Let’s Spend the
Night Together” and we all sang along with “Ruby Tuesday” and “Can’t
Always Get What You Want.” It was a
party as the orchestra’s brass and strings added a noticeable fullness to
“Under My Thumb.” Everyone seemed to be on their feet by the end of the
first half as Doyniuk gave us some Jagger moves to “Jumping Jack Flash.” It was
a rock concert but also a symphony-a symphonic rock concert.
This was not just a tribute show that recreated the
music of the Rolling Stones but it seemed to elevate their music. Sure the Winborne rock band performed authentic
renditions of the music but the
symphonic sounds added much more depth. I heard an animated gentleman during intermission say, “can you believe that the
symphony was playing rock n’ roll.”
The symphony really let loose with bows racing in all directions during “Honky Tonk Women.” The show concluded with “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” and “Brown Sugar” bringing almost everyone to their feet with some arms pulsating just like a
rock concert. As lovers of the Rolling Stones, we all celebrated the music but
also the opportunity to rock n’ roll with the Pittsburgh Symphony.
(I will definitely keep the Pittsburgh Symphony Summer
Series in my empty nest tool box. Next up is going to the movies with the
symphony. For more on the Pittsburgh
Summer Series or Symphony at The Movies and then the POPS. go to Pittsburghsymphony.org. )