NYPhil World Premiere of Sean Shepherd's SONGS

Today's 2nd to last open rehearsal featured Yefim Bronfman performing Beethoven's Piano Concertos 2 & 3.  A brilliant pianist playing works by one of the greatest composers of all times - enough said.  For something totally new & delightfully different, Sean Shepherd's (Amer. b. 1979) SONGS commissioned by NY Phil., was also on the program.  Shepherd is a Julliard alumni and served as composer fellow of the Cleveland Orch.  The symphonic work SONGS is a lyrical & enchanting pastiche of soft melodies with clarion intonations.   Perhaps, if Brahms were composing today incorporating available instrumentation, his symphonies may have had a similar quality to Sherpherd's alluring symphony.  Winds were predominantly featured in SONGS harmoniously with a broad scope  of percussion instruments:  vibraphone, timpani, cabasa, suspended cymbal, vibra-slap, ratchet, small egg shaker, tubular bells, cabasa and cow bells.  You can never have enough cow bells.  But, you can only catch 1 more rehearsal before the season ends.