Did PercaDu play a practical joke at the Hollywood Bowl?

There was a genuine "what just happened?" moment at the Hollywood Bowl last night -- one that left audiences and some high-ranking L.A. Philharmonic officers scratching their heads.

The Israeli percussion duo PercaDu had just finished playing Avner Dorman's "Spices, Perfumes, Toxins!" and announced that they were going to perform a Bach cantata as an encore. Less than a minute into the piece, one of the musicians, Tomer Yariv, stopped and indicated to his partner that he had messed up. The duo looked embarrassed and slightly flustered.

So PercaDu started the Bach over again. But at the same spot, Yariv stopped the performance, as if he had forgotten the music. Again, much awkward silence.

Then Adi Morag announced that they were scrapping the Bach and would attempt another piece -- Rimsky-Korsakov's "The Flight of the Bumblebee." The duo rearranged their instruments and launched into a technically difficult arrangement of the piece that had them switching positions and playing the marimbas facing backwards. It was a practically flawless performance.

All of which raises the question -- was the whole episode one big joke on the audience?

Those audience members whom Culture Monster spoke to after the concert expressed complete bewilderment. Most were unsure if it was a gag or if PercaDu had truly messed up on stage.

At one point, we overheard Deborah Borda, the president of the L.A. Phil, saying, "It was a joke on me. It was a surprise to me." Another Philharmonic officer who wished to go unnamed said that if it was a mistake, then "it was a very embarrassing one."

Culture Monster caught up with PercaDu after the concert and put the question to them.

"Well, did you think it was a mistake?" replied Morag, with a big grin. Despite further prodding, the duo refused to explain the on-stage incident.

"So you want to remain mysterious?" we asked.

"Yes," replied Morag.

-- David Ng

Return to Culture Monster later today for Mark Swed's review of the Tuesday night's performance at the Bowl.

Photo: The Israeli percussion duo PercaDu: Tomer Yariv, left, and Adi Morag. Credit: PercaDu

Comments

[Donald Frazell]

Classical Euro music has rhythm? Since when? Its all time signatures, go get Elvin Jones and maybe Willie Bobo if you want percussion, or even dig up Cal Tjader to play with Bobby Hutcherson if you want vibes.

Sounds like they are the Milli Vanilli of Euro music, But then they were Euros, werent they? Ok, the white versions in tuxes then. Nice hair.

art collegia delenda est

[Concerned Concert Goer]

Hasn't the Times given enough coverage to this event? I attended last night, and the Dorman was one of the worst pieces of new music I have ever heard: cheesy and dumbed-down in the extreme.

It was not a Bach Cantata that PercaDu attempted as an encore but rather the Prelude to the English Suite No. 2, and I don't think we should give them the benefit of the doubt that they were playing a practical joke. They simply messed up, big time.

And the Flight of the Bumblebee was far from "flawless," a term that should be used with extreme caution in reviewing a performance.

[dianne montagna]

I also was at the performance of Dorman's piece and the talented PercaDu and the L.A. Phil. I sat in wonder and astonishment, as did nearly all of the people around me!

I felt that the "Bach to Bumblebee" was intended...to be light and silly while performing difficult pieces. It's a shame that an antic moment by the duo upstaged a beautiful new piece of music.

Avner Dorman's "Spices, Perfumes, Toxins!" was exhilarating, at moments fleet, at others complex and at all times compelling the listener to follow and be enchanted.

I saw standing ovations for the performers...and another standing ovation when the composer came to the stage.

Music is essential to our being. I'm sorry Concerned Concert Goer was unhappy...is he/she concerned that others might like this music? It comes to mind that many of those that we revere today as classical composers were not always enjoyed by the hoi-polloi that attended concerts in their lifetime.