When a piece of music is great, we all continue to learn from it, even years later.
A skilled composer needs to know when to turn lyrical and when to use music that is rhythmically strong but melodically neutral. Andy shows a real gift here. The Apostles’ chorus lacks a genuine theme, asking what’s going on. Jesus berates them, and Mary Magdalene tries to calm the situation. Judas interjects by condemning the kind of people Jesus hangs around with. Jesus responds with his own chastisement of Judas. The music underlying the chorus in 5/4 is later used to the words, “Take him to Pilate.” A tip of the hat to Wagner, perhaps. Mary Magdalene calms things down with her hit aria, turning into duets, also in 5/4. With his complaint about mis-allocation of resources, Judas comes across as a liberal politician. Andy’s deployment of the full orchestra at 7:24 is one of the great moments of this opera.
I loved it when music came in a 12’ x 12’ package. My ambition as an art major was to degn record album covers. My senior high school project was a incredible double album cover for Symphonie Fantastique.
It was QUIT Psychadelic! LOL!