Dead Elivs and Other Gems

As the title suggests, the program for MusicaNova's next concert is full of playfulness, general silliness, a few surprises, and a great deal of nose-thumbing at pretension and stuffiness. Let’s start with "Dead Elvis." It’s the actual title of a 1993 bassoon showpiece by Grammy Award-winning composer Michael Daugherty. The piece contemplates the price of fame, the myth of Elvis, and how the dead (or is he?) rock star exemplifies American culture, history and mythology. MNO principal bassoon Kristilyn Woods dons the sequined jumpsuit and plays the Dies Irae, the medieval Latin chant for the Day of Judgment, while a small ensemble riffs on rock and roll motifs. It’s not a coincidence that the instrumentation is the same as Stravinsky’s “The Soldier’s Tale,” which tells of a soldier who sells out to the Devil for fame and fortune. Also on the program: --Australian Peggy Glanville-Hick’s reputation-making Three Gymnopedies. --A rare concerto for double clarinets, featuring MusicaNova’s Kristin Fray and Anthony Masiello. Joseph Haydn’s 98th Symphony, with a sly surprise.