Jerusalem Mix
Commissioned by the Jerusalem Chamber Music Festival and the Chicago Chamber Musicians
ORCHESTRATION ob, cl, bn, hn, pf
DURATION 17 min
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The Dorman, though, was the fare’s high point. This 42-year-old prolific composer has produced a vast number of works for orchestras, film, dance and just about every possible combination of instruments. His “Jerusalem Mix,” written as tribute to the spirit of Jerusalem, is exciting and colorful. It‘s filled with Judaic, Christian and Islamic musical references that are expressive in spirit and emotion, the “Wailing Wall” portion being a particularly poignant and dramatic segment. From the opening “Mix” depicting the hustle of the city to the somewhat giddy “Wedding March” to the “Adhan,” during which Hoppe struck strings inside the piano for colorful effect, to the last portion’s return of frenzy found in the opening, the work was highly creative, compelling and emotionally thoughtful and fun. What a rewarding time spent with 4.1. It was a perfect 4.0.
John Shulson, The Virginia Gazette
11th October 2017