Editorial

A view from the seats

What this editorial isn’t about . . .

A musical standby among those with tastes as distinctive as his own, Randy Newman visited Central Arkansas last week. Not surprisingly, his show at the Reynolds Performance Hall at the University of Central Arkansas soon sold out. The kids may know Randy Newman only as the man who sang "You've Got a Friend in Me" and other songs for the Toy Story movies. Older folks who know their stuff may know that Mr. Newman is responsible for any number of songs you hear on classic-rock radio nowadays. In the 1970s, he'd put out an album and other artists would trip over themselves to record his songs themselves, often with better sales than he had.

But this editorial isn't about record sales.

Randy Newman started the show with "Birmingham," which might have surprised his fans. In a good way. It's a beautiful piece. ("Gotta wife named Mary but she's called Marie . . . .") He sang a number of his newer songs, too. But there might have been a small riot if he hadn't sung "Louisiana 1927" or "Sail Away," both Newman hallmarks.

But this editorial isn't about Randy Newman.

There were fans at the concert who've seen Mr. Newman before, accompanied only by his piano and mike. That's his style, his power, his intimacy. Others, like us, had never seem him singing with a full orchestra as backup band. On this night he had the Conway Symphony Orchestra taking their seats behind him and, well, here's what this editorial is about: a rave review. What a diamond the Diamond State has in the orchestra Izzy Getzov conducts in Conway, where he also professes. Lucky music students. All the luckier for being challenged by such a teacher.

Randy Newman, like the rest of us, took notice. He was particularly taken by the flute section. The violin and trumpet soloists rated special notice, too. And the tuba player after a happy number. And when you please Randy Newman, you please a discriminating, even unique, taste. That he and the orchestra, now his colleagues, shared this evening to savor. At one point our guest urged his audience to support their local symphony. There was no reason to say why after its performance this evening or, we daresay, any evening. Here's hoping Mr. Newman will Hurry Back, as we say in these--and Randy Newman's--natural latitudes. If he's lucky, he can get back in March to catch the orchestra's The Marriage of Figaro by somebody named Mozart. He's may not be Randy Newman, but in his own funny-serious way, he's just as distinctive.

Editorial on 01/31/2015

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