NCH, Dublin
When Lalo Schifrin was asked to write the soundtrack to
Enter the Dragon
, he had a meeting with Bruce Lee, who told the composer how he had studied 3,000 years of martial arts, in order to learn all the rules so he could break them. Schifrin countered that he had learned 2,000 years of European musical styles so he could do the same.
Tonight, he takes a whirlwind tour of these styles, and the programme is studded with fascinating glimpses from his intimidating CV. He opens with a powerful version of the theme from Mannix, with Schifrin moving between podium and piano.
Then he rolls out one of his big guns, the main theme from Bullitt: the effortlessly cool bass line struts along, arm in arm with swooning strings and an RTÉ Concert Orchestra that seems to be enjoying this gig as much as the crowd; bassist Paul Moore must still be pinching himself at the opportunity to get his teeth into the evening's terrific grooves.
A western medley of other composers' work (with music from High Noon, The Magnificent Seven,and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly) is a rollicking, shunting affair that sweeps the room along with verve and enthusiasm, while a suite of music from Dirty Harryis complex, intriguing and anxious – vintage Schifrin.
The composer also lets his jazz inclinations out to play. The colour and contrast between the lush orchestral strains of As Time Goes Byand sudden drops to a stripped-back jazz arrangement is a real joy to listen to. An homage to Duke Ellington also works its dextrous magic.
This is Schifrin’s first concert in Ireland, and, charming to a fault in his introductions to each piece, he is generous, though not unwarranted, in his constant praise for his colleagues on the stage.
The Plot from Mission: Impossibleis a thrilling finale, a classic Schifrin piece of work, laden with suspense and subtle menace. As something of an encore, he couldn't resist wheeling out the thumping low-end piano-driven main theme, played with verve and swagger, in a delicately explosive finale to a terrific evening's entertainment.
