4 ARTS The Michigan Daily Thursday, November 1, 1984 Page 6 Unconventional brilliant Pogorelich piano debut By Neil Galanter IANIST IVO Pogorelich is a brilliant phenomenon! And he proved it Tuesday night in his debut recital at Rackham Auditorium by showing original, new, fresh inter- pretive ideas (as usual) always full of life, coupled with an awesome technique that enabled him to surpass the technical traps in the music and concentrate solely on the musical ideas themselves. Beginning the program with Bach's English Suite No. 2 in a minor, Pogorelich spun out smooth even phrases with surprisingly constant color throughout. His trills were like little spinning tops which rang as clear as bells. He also kept an excellent balance between the hands, voicing each area appropriately, which gave a certain sense of continuity and suspen- sion that probed the listeners ear. A standard Bach interpretation it was not, but its insights were worth more than all the gold in the world because he provided a fresh approach that so many pianists miss in Bach, especially when used as an opening number in a program. Pogorelich followed the Bach chronologically by period, turning next to Haydn's Sonata in a flat, HOB 46. Again Pogorelich didn't disappoint. The performance was a myriad of chiseled-clean passage work and great zest. His non-conformity here was a bit more evident in the Adagio movement which probably would have been played much slower by other pianists. But Pogorelich made it more in- teresting by quickening the pace and carefully underlining the chord progressions. It ended with a whirling, bustling Presto finale played with as much ease as we walk or put on our shoes in the morning. Pogorelich seems to create a certain sense of joy, jubilation and relish in the music which is as satisfying as an amusement park ride-you never really want to get off. After intermission came the real meat in the program: Beethoven's Sonata No. 32 in c minor. Pogorelich dug right into the real essence of the music like a hungry man digging into a steak. Every possible contrast in the score was highlighted which was a real asset because it enabled the listener to hear all the many aspects this piece has to offer. Dynamic contrast were han- dled with amazing variety, from for- tissimo to pianissimo, suddenly and gradually. His skill in producing effective "for- tepianos" is also astonishing, as well as the powerful accents which depicted storm and rage so well. Every section he played, painted a different picture, and a picture is always worth a thousand words. His playing is the variations was ex- tremely engrossing and he created a pendulous image which drewme even more into the music. To close the program Pogorelich played Prokofiev's Sonata No. 3 in a minor, with the distin- ct Russian flavor needed for Prokofiev. His playing was luxuriously rich with regards to tempo and dynamic variety. Playing with an almost satanic rythmic drive, Pogorelich captured the swif- tness of the development of the piece, combining serene gentle lyricism, where appropriate, and fiery bursts of power and passion. The performance ended definitively with a strong bold statement. To my disappointment Pogorelich didn't play any encores. He seemed to be almost uninterested in the audience throughout the evening, walking on and off the stage almost lackadaisically and robot like. His concentration was almost primarily in the many diverse musical pictures he was portraying and at times it seemed as if the audience was only second. The real issue though is the fact that Pogorelich is truly an extraordinary and unique performer. His pianism is marvelous, his personality decisive and his musical ideas highly intelligible. His fascinating acrobatic artistry, the willful hard-edged extremes and the constant attention to every detail is what is making the great success he is enjoying. In my opinion he will con- tinue with that success as one of the greatest pianists ever. Moraz-Bruford Patrick Moraz, current keyboardist for the Moody Blues, formerly of Yes; and Bill Bruford, now drummer for King Crimson and formerly of Yes and Genesis will bring their acoustic music for piano and drums to the Michigan Union Ballroom tonight. Tickets are still available at Schoolkids or the Michigan Union Ticket Office for $9.50 and a smile. Keaton makes little drumming worthwhile wPORIR subscribe s G pot/ft now - call 764-0558 * - FREE TRIP TO T HE ROSE BOWL I * (RESTAURANT) a * U 333 E. H uron (across from the Ann Arbor News) a * Daily8-8; Sun9 -5 U * This ad is redeemable for a complimentary a * vegetable or dessert. I * U I...mu sEusuuEmmEEmuuammuasgmuuuuummmemasmUn By Byron L. Bull D IANE KEATON may not have a very good idea just what she's sup- possed to be doing in George Roy Hill's clumsy adaptation of The Little Drummer Girl, but she's such a joy to watch it really doesn't matter. Even though Keaton doesn't seem to have a good grasp of her character, Charlie, and she hits more than a few bum notes, her sheer brillant presence carries her through unscathed. Condensed from John le Carre's den- se 1983 novel, Drummer Girl wanders for most of its two and a half hours trying to decide if it wants to be an ad- venture story, a thriller wit, political overtones, or a character study. Direc- tor Hill succeeds with each approach in a few fleeting sequences, but the bulk of his effort is so much padding. There's no connecting theme running through the narrative, and even the narrative, jumping across five con- tinents and half a dozen characters, is weakly defined. Hill keeps the film as heavily brooding as thenovel, and ends it on perhaps an even more downbeat swing, but without any of the ideas (namely, how an idealistic crusade can be poisoned by fanaticism) to give it a conscience. The whole Israeli- Palestinian conflict, as viewed through the eyes of protagonist Charlie, an ac- tress employed as a double agent by the Israeli's, is very vague and skimply presented. All of the historical and ideological underpinnings are swept aside, and both sides end up being depicted as essentially hoodlums. The complex dualities of the people Charlie comes in contact with from both sides, how they could be compassionate under one situaiton and cold blooded the next, gets a cursory passing reference so that the characters emerge as inconsistent and not complex. One wonders just what about the novel attracted Le Carre' in the first place, as he has merely filmed the story in such an uninspired, superfical way. Hill is by no means an unintelligent filmmaker, a director whose work (Slaughterhouse Five, Slapshot) is distinctively witty, well crafted. Hill's signature here is virtually unreadable, the film has a cold, unpersonalized feel like it was shot by a novice who lacked 1 Diane Keaton stars as a double agent in her newest film, 'Little Drummer Girl.' - IN I < ..DAILY FIRST MATINEE ONLY $2.00 COUPON __ e $3003THIS ENTIRE AD GOOD FOR TWO $3.00 TICKETS " iee@ee@eieeei*ieiesoieeeeeieeeisei * AN EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURE! IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT WHEN THERE'S NO ONE ELSE... ERICAN CHOOSE ME _ DREAMER SJOBE TH ' WILLIAMS i TOM CONTI PG $ * THURS. 1:00, 7:00, 9:00 THURS. 1:00, 7:20, 9:30 S FRI.1:00, 7:00,,9:00, 11 P.M. FRI. 1:00, 7:20, 9:30, 11:30 P.M. eieeiee. oeei..i....e.e.i.iiieeieee........ the confidence to risk a few bold flourishes. The film is paced with a rushed urgency, with the cast running through their scenes so hurriedly they're on the verge of breathlessness much of the time. The screenplay by Hill and veteran television writer Loring Man- del packs in much of Le Carre's maze of a plot, but in a confusing, muddled smear. There's very little convincing charac- ter exploration, and save for Keaton (whose the only member of the cast with any warmth) there's no one in the film fascinating enough to watch or human enough to sympathize with. Admittedly paring down an intricately woven structure-like the ones Le Carre' is a master at-is a formidable task, particularly within the time con- straints of a feature film, but Hill and Mandel seem to have been intimated out of reverance from simplifying the plot. Had Drummer Girl been filmed in the mode of a miniseries, like the wonder- ful adaptations of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and Smiley's People the BBC did several years ago, with plenty of time to play with the mechanics of the plot, their approach might have been better served. Here, they leave out the irreplaceable ingredient of inhabiting their story with characters fleshed out enough to absorb ones attention. It's hard to believe that either the Israeli's or the Palestinians (both of whom at least come across as being run by very intelligent leaders) would em- ploy someone like the flakey, fashion conscious Charlie for their respective missions. Charlie, as sketchy a character as she is, does seem consistently unstable and clutzy enough that one wonders if both parties are so desperate they would take her into their ranks. There's a crucial scene early in the film where Charlie, after having been abducted by the Israeli team, is in- terogated through the night with such brutal efficiency and intensity that by the next morning her entire character has been torn to pieces, at which point they begin to remold her into their own unwitting tool. Hill races the scene by, with so little regard for any subtle nuances or in- sights into Charlie's psyche that he fails to make us feel Charlie's traumatization and consequently fails to forge the critical link that the story's whole premise rests upon. The ensuing action, involving Charlie's training, and infiltration into the Palestinian camp, is lengthy, but not very intriguing. Somewhere along the way a subplot evolves involving a romance between Charlie and an, Israeli agent, Joseph (played by Yorgo Voyagis with visible detatchment) that leads to him seriously questioning his own ethics, and those of his cause, but it's handled so and-by-the way that it's only a minor inclusion in the story, of little actual consequence. The only time Hill actually focuses his camera on Charlie, and gives Keaton enough space to run through more than a token gesture, is at the very end of the story, in what amounts to a mere afterthought. Keaton gives a performance curiously comic inclined, with man- nerisms that at times strongly recall her characters in her earlier roles. While it's.a bit refreshing compared to the otherwise sullen cast, the effect detracts as much as it adds. When Keaton uses it sparingly, as a minor counterpoint to the somber ongoings, it's fine, but often she indulges in sheer slapstick that's jarringly out of place. To see Charlie lead a truck full of Palestinian commandos through a ragged rendition of "Downtown" as they roar off through the desert is a jewel of a scene but it belongs in a wilder, more irreverant treatment (like Hill's version of World According to Garp). Keaton's saving grace (and the film's) is her radiant, overflowing en- thusiasm that few other actresses (or actors) possess. Keaton doesn't have a well defined role here to let her give a peak performance, like in Shoot The Moon, but she's still a fascinating figure if only for the way she glows on film. It's too bad this film can't do her justice. IU. U go- F-JJPL m _ I'~LXLIJUIt'd 7--- 1 . 'r Ki 0 4 t, 3 Ps. tgi AS Help Us Crearte 0bie D tiltl Experi enue Join the Staff ed FOR WRITING BUSINESS ART PHOTOGRAPHY k wai;C on h W .'ca . In and dif fktn d 4.O huck is ~ ot LA TECHNICAL STUDENTS Cash in on your hard work before graduation ... and open the door to a top career in Engineering. For highly qualified students in Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, or Mathematics, the Navy offers the opportunity to earn over $1000 per month during your final year in college. For especially qualified persons, this benefit may be available for the final two years of college. After graduation, you will receive graduate level training and begin work as a technical manager with immediate responsibility and authority. Available Positions: ** NUCLEAR PROPULSION ENGINEER ++ ENGINEERING INSTRUCTOR I