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Catching Some Zs in D Minor
Monday Dec 11, 2006.
By Ben Rubenstein
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 photo: courtesy of the Cultural Center Dave and I, on the other hand, had no excuse for dozing off during the event, unless you count staying up late to watch Sunday Night Football. "I wouldn't call that 'rambunctious'," noted Dave as he was startled awake by the set-ending applause. He was referring to flautist Jennifer Clippert's introductory description of Irving Fine's "Partita for Wind Instruments." "I guess it's all relative," I replied, stretching. I had been counting on Dave to keep me interested in the concert, since he was once a dedicated cello player (his prized instrument was stolen last year; he is currently offering a free haircut for anyone who can ensure its safe return). But the Quintet's songs proved to be an effective, if pleasurable, sleep aid, and my roommate and the 60-year old spectator to his right were soon dreaming woodwind dreams. Forced to fend for myself, I spent much time looking around Preston Bradley Hall, the home of the Classical Mondays concert series. The ornate room, featuring the world's largest stained-glass Tiffany Dome, is a clear reminder of the building's previous life as the Chicago Public Library. It's covered with multilingual inscriptions about books as well as the names of masters like Shakespeare, Chaucer and Dante. It's also huge, and much to my surprise, the space was needed for this concert. While I'd expected some Loop workers on lunch break and maybe a street-dweller or two looking for a respite from the cold, I wasn't prepared for the packed house that left me just inches away from the bobbing head of the man in front of me. Evidently, the description of the award-winning Quintet Attacca as "up and coming" isn't just PR spin; the group is clearly popular with the coveted 45- to 75-year-old market. I could only imagine how many homebound fans were listening to the live broadcast on WFMT (98.7 FM). Classical concerts demand a certain level of propriety, and the well-mannered audience members were model citizens throughout. Though I'm a rule-follower to a fault, I was tempted to shake things up, if only in a last-ditch effort to stay awake. As long as I had to watch horn player Jeremiah Frederick empty out his spit valve at every pause, why couldn't I clap when the urge struck? Sadly, Dave wasn't alert enough to share in my civil disobedience, and I had to sit on my hands like everyone else until the group members stood up to signal for applause. The performers weren't all business; their colorful and informative introductions to each piece elicited chuckles from the crowd, and revealed their deep understanding of musical history. My personal favorite was the preface to Arturo Marquez' "Danza de Mediodia." Oboist Erica Anderson explained that the title translated to "Noon Dance," and referred not to the time of day, but rather the stage the Mexican composer was at in his career when he wrote it. According to Anderson, the song is meant to be played standing, but due to aesthetic concerns and the weight of Collin Anderson's bassoon, the group members would be "dancing from [their] seats." Amidst all the post-noon swoons and kids eager to get back on the school bus, I'm sure there were a few toes politely tapping in the audience as well. Classical Mondays takes place at 12:15 p.m. on Mondays in the Chicago Cultural Center's Preston Bradley Hall, 78 E. Washington St. For more information, check out cityofchicago.org/Tourism/CulturalCenter. Ben Rubenstein jumps under the covers every other week in an ongoing search for freebie music that rocks. If you know of a no-cover night he should check out, email him.
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