8.13-8.20.08

Time For Three & Cleveland Orchestra @ Blossom 8/10 Classical musicians gone wild? When Time for Three joined the Cleveland Pops at Blossom Sunday night we heard the ear-thrilling music that results when this highly-trained trio (they met at the Curtis Institute) fiddles around. Chief fiddlers Zach De Pue and Nick Kendall plus Ranaan Meyer on double bass, showed the natural relationship between humor, wit, and classical music without neglecting technique. At one point both violinists played one instrument (with two bows) and at another the three played hits from "Fiddler on the Roof" all at the same time. It wasn't all giggles: De Pue found the keening heartbreak in "Shenandoah," Kendall proved that fingers can fly faster than the mind, and Meyer (who draped himself all over the bass like a musical python) took the bass to original sonic places. While the trio stuck to the program, sort of, the jazzy riffs and frolics from Bach to gypsy outstripped my note-taking abilities in the dark. The Cleveland Pops, led by the ever-lively and upbeat Carl Topilow, treated us to fine versions of John Williams' movie music, an Irving Berlin medley, football fight songs, and a Josef Strauss polka that required the enthusiastic audience to join in with "Hey" at the appropriate time. This was the Pops' first Blossom appearance; surely it won't be the last. From Cool Cleveland contributor Laura Kennelly lkennellyATgmail.com