Everett Symphony shows how Bacharach fully used an orchestra

Published 1:08 pm Thursday, April 17, 2008

“Burt Bacharach brought the symphony into pop music,” said Nadine Shanti, who will perform several of Bacharach’s hits for Everett Symphony’s “Pops II: A Tribute to Burt Bacharach,” at 8 tonight at Everett Civic Auditorium.

“Lots of artists had used strings to lush up an arrangement, but Bacharach brought in tympanis, flugelhorns,” and the rest of the wind, brass and percussion sections to add rich layers to his songs.

So a symphony performance of some of his hits seemed a natural choice.

“It’s going to be a fun concert,” said Paul-Elliot Cobbs, the symphony’s conductor. “It’s not what most people think of as classical music, but it’s classical pop.”

But don’t confuse “pop” with “simple,” Shanti said.

“He writes challenging arrangements and melodies that don’t stick within a couple of notes on the scale. It jumps all over,” she said.

That’s made his music distinctive. You know you’re listening to a Bacharach composition, she said, “because you can feel it. He’ll switch from a 4/4 time signature to 12/8.”

Shanti, who has performed twice previously with the Everett Symphony, enjoys sharing a little history about her subject between songs, so she has some stories about Bacharach’s beginnings in the business and his tour of Germany with Marlene Dietrich.

Among the songs scheduled for tonight’s performance are “Do You Know the Way to San Jose,” “The Look of Love,” “Walk on By,” and “Alfie,” along with medleys of songs by The Beatles and from the musical “Grease.”

Jon Bauer, Herald Staff

“A Tribute to Burt Bacharach”

8 tonight, Everett Civic Auditorium, 2415 Colby Ave., Everett. Tickets $12 to $36, 425-258-1605, www.everettsymphony.org.