鈥楾otal Eclipse of the Chart鈥� turns back the clock to the 1980s
Courtesy of the Pittsburgh Symphony
In the 1980s, Daniel Meyer was part of that special cadre of music buyers who would scour the bins at independent record stores in search of new releases and rarities from acts like Depeche Mode, Bauhaus, New Order and Tones on Tail.
Meyer grew up in the Cleveland area, and his store of choice was called, simply, The Shoppe, and it had what Meyer remembers as “a really respectable collection.”
“I always made a stop at the record store on my way to piano lessons,” he recalled.
For better or worse, the music of the 1980s is now a source of nostalgia for a generation that put away their “Miami Vice” jackets and trimmed their mullets once there were planes to catch, bills to pay and families to raise. It can still be a little discombobulating for a Generation X-er to hear what was once a cutting-edge tune by U2 or The Police on an oldies radio station or playing in the background at a grocery store. And consider this: If you are old enough to remember when MTV debuted, you might well now be attending a grandchild’s Little League games.
This weekend, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO) is putting aside Brahms and Bach and winding back the clock four decades to the days of power dressing and pastels with “Total Eclipse of the Chart: The Music of the ’80s.” It will include hits by Cher, Eurythmics, Whitney Houston, Dolly Parton and, yes, U2 and The Police.
Meyer will be conducting the orchestra, and he pointed out last week, “I could probably sing all of these songs in my sleep. They’re so deeply programmed into my psyche, and my internal memory banks.”
He added, “The challenge for me is to rethink some of them in an orchestral setting. … That’s the real art form, is finding a way to recast these songs in a way that works for an orchestra that doesn’t sound like muzak.”
Meyer said the arrangements of the tunes remain faithful to the original versions, but have some new twists.
“Otherwise, why do it?,” he explained.
Pops series are commonplace for major orchestras across the country, and their leaders often hope they serve as a gateway to the more traditional classical fare that symphonies offer. Meyer believes though, that a symphony can be many things to many audiences, even those whose tastes might stay planted in the 1980s and not the 1880s.
“If it serves as a gateway, great,” Meyer said. “If not, also great. I think the PSO means something different to different people.”
Making this guest appearance with the PSO is one of many items on Meyer’s dance card. He is the director of orchestral activities at Duquesne University, the artistic director of the Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra, the music director of the Erie Philharmonic and also the music director for the Lakeside Symphony Orchestra in Ohio. He has worked with such luminaries as the violinist Midori and the pianist Emanuel Ax.
“It keeps me out of trouble,” Meyer joked.
Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday. For information, go online to pittsburghsymphony.org or call 412-392-4900.